Lanzhou Preserved Lamb

Lanzhou Preserved Lamb

　　The preserved lamb from Zhangye has unique processing methods. The main ingredients come from sheep raised in areas such as Shandan and Minle, which feed on wildflowers and grasses; the salt used is snowflake salt from Gaotai, along with fragrant ginger and cilantro. During autumn and winter, after the sheep are slaughtered, they are cooked with seasonings, deboned, and coated with clarified oil. The meat is red and translucent, rich yet not greasy — it is so appetizing that one can’t help but crave a bite just by looking at it. In Zhangye, preserved lamb is sold alongside traditional taverns that offer yellow rice wine, serving the public for several hundred years. In the past, only two households with ancestral skills sold it, and in spring, they switched to selling lamb, which also has a uniquely delicious flavor. (Lanzhou)