What are the best snacks in Zhongning?

Specialty Food

Braised haggis: unique flavor. The preparation method is as follows: use sheep's internal organs, head and hoof meat, wash them carefully, put them into a boiling water pot to cook, take them out and cut them into shreds. Add the shredded haggis to the original soup, add onion, ginger, minced garlic, red chili oil, monosodium glutamate and coriander to make braised haggis. The red one is chili oil, the green one is minced green onions and coriander, and underneath the oil is a milky white soup. Take a sip of the soup and a bite of the offal. It is neither tangy nor greasy, and the taste is mellow and rich.

Steamed lamb: Ningxia lamb is tender and delicious, without any smell. It is best to use the breast and upper backbone parts of the lamb, chop it into rectangular strips, wash it with cold water, place it in a bowl, add ginger, green onions, and garlic; add a few raw peppercorns, and steam for 30 minutes Then put it into a soup plate and serve it with vinegar, garlic juice, salt and other seasonings.

Crispy Chicken: Yinchuan local snack, characterized by crispy and tender chicken. Preparation method: first remove the bones but not the skin of the cooked hen, tear the chicken into long strips, mix with salt, sesame oil, MSG, use 3 egg whites, add half and half of starch and white flour, stir well; add foam paste Pour half of the batter into a flat plate greased with oil, then add the chicken strips and wrap the chicken strips with the remaining half of the foam paste. Put the wrapped chicken strips into a 70% hot oil pan and deep-fry until they are white and yellow, take them out, cut them into 2 and 3 strips, then cut them crosswise, place them on a plate, and dip them in salt and pepper before eating.

Specialty catering

Mainly served northwest pasta, mostly with halal specialities. Because agriculture is developed, vegetables and fruits are more abundant than in Gansu, and rivers such as the Yellow River are distributed throughout the region, so fresh river fish are worth tasting. Beef and mutton are the main edible meats. There are large markets in every county where live sheep are slaughtered, so you can’t help but try various mutton dishes. The Hui people traditionally do not smoke or drink alcohol, so more traditional halal restaurants do not serve alcoholic beverages. However, people in the northwest are mostly drinkers. The low-alcohol liquor and fruit wine produced locally have a pure taste, but they must be used in moderation.

Gaiwan tea

The locals call it dumplings. People in the northwest drink Gaiwan tea more. Even teahouses in the Tibetan areas of Gannan also serve Gaiwan tea, and they pay attention to using the bowls of Sanbaotai. The most important ones are of course tea leaves and rock sugar. Other ingredients include wolfberry, angustifolia, red dates, walnut kernels, raisins, longan, plum and other nourishing ingredients, which is called Babao tea. The water used to make tea is boiling water, which is called "peony water". Linxia in Gansu and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region produce the most authentic dumpling tea. It would be a pity not to try this specialty. Babao tea sells for 10 yuan for 10 bags in shops, 2 yuan/bowl in teahouses and restaurants, and water is free, but really good tea tastes better after two or three servings.

Ningxia’s most famous local specialties include wolfberry, licorice, Helan stone, Tan Sheep two-fur skin, and Nostoc. Because their colors are red, yellow, blue, white, and black, they are also called " Five treasures".

Fa Cai: Homophoned as "facai", it is produced in desert and semi-desert areas around Tongxin, Zhongning and Haiyuan. It has a slender body and black and bright color. Fresh nostoc is blue-green or brown and is essential for festive feasts.

Licorice: Also known as sweet grass, in the field of traditional Chinese medicine, there is a saying that "9 out of ten (Chinese medicine) prescriptions use licorice". It has the functions of detoxifying, eliminating phlegm, relieving pain, relieving spasm, anti-cancer, tonifying the spleen, and replenishing qi.

Wolfberry: Ningxia wolfberry is famous both at home and abroad for its thin skin, thick flesh and few seeds. It not only contains iron, phosphorus, and calcium, but also has a large number of essential nutrients for the human body. Regular consumption can moisten the lungs, clear the liver, nourish the kidneys, expel wind, improve eyesight, and strengthen muscles and bones.

Helan Stone: Produced in Helan Mountain, it is fine in texture, hard and soft, purple and green. The Helan inkstone carved with it has the characteristics of emitting ink, retaining ink, not drying or smelling, and protecting the hair, and is naturally elegant and interesting.

Tan Sheep Fur: Ningxia’s specialty fur, named after the tidal flats with abundant water and grass on both sides of the Yellow River in the Yinchuan Plain. Commonly known as "two-fur fur", the hair is 2 inches long, with white fringes, fine texture, soft and warm. It was known as "dry golden fur" in ancient times and is a traditional national famous brand export commodity.

Dijiao Zi, Sea Buckthorn, Tartary Buckwheat, Yinchuan-Helan Stone, Ningxia Carpet, Xixia Tribute Rice Crispy Chicken, Yinchuan Tan Sheep Brand Jacquard Blanket, Pigeon Fish, Wuzhong-Yellow Wine Wuzhong-Sea Buckthorn, Tan Sheep Erfur, Melon, Perfume, Pear, Lily, Dried Clove, Elbow, Helan Stone Stew Haggis, Qingtongxia Willow Braided Steamed Lamb, Shizuishan "Yingchun Pot, Flax, Ningxia Nostoc, Ningxia Licorice, Ningxia Wolfberry, Sweet and Sour Yellow River Carp, Oats