Golden Oil Pagoda

Last updated 2026-10-10 — Golden Oil Pagoda is a traditional refined snack from Xi'an, dating back to the Tang Dynasty. It has a fragrant, crispy taste and a soft, tender texture. The ingredients include premium flour, lard, salt, and mixed dough. The production process is extremely meticulous: first, the flour is stirred with water into a fluff, then kneaded into a stiff dough, followed by adding water to soften it slightly. After resting, the dough is rolled into a three-tenths-inch thick square sheet, with diced lard, salt, and mixed dough added. The dough is then rolled up, cut into strips weighing about one or two liangs, further rolled and sliced into strips, which are hand-pulled into fine threads and coiled into round bun shapes. A thin layer of dough sheet is placed at the bottom of the steamer basket, and the oil pagodas are arranged in order and steamed over high heat for about thirty minutes until cooked. When eating, they are served with chopped scallions dipped in flour paste for flavoring, paired with sweet almond sauce for an especially distinctive taste. In Xi'an, the Golden Oil Pagoda from Xi’an Restaurant is the most famous. (Xi'an)