1 Roasted Rock Sheep
[Main Ingredients]
Rock sheep hind leg meat ……………………………. 500 grams
Ground Sichuan peppercorn …………………………… 5 grams
Salt ……………………………………………… 10 grams
Wild garlic paste …………………………………… 50 grams
Chili powder ………………………………………. 10 grams
[Cooking Method]
- Wash the rock sheep hind leg thoroughly and cut it into strips, each about 15 cm long, 5 cm wide, and 1 cm thick. Tenderize the meat with a wooden mallet in a bowl. Add salt, ground Sichuan peppercorn, chili powder, and wild garlic paste. Rub the seasonings into the meat with your hands and marinate for 30 minutes.
- Remove the meat strips and skewer them with bamboo sticks. Place them over a fire and slowly roast them until they turn golden and emit a fragrant aroma. They are then ready to be served.
[Key Techniques]
The Dulong people’s “Roasted Rock Sheep” uses only the hind leg of the sheep, emphasizing a savory, spicy, and authentic flavor.
[Flavor Characteristics]
- Rock sheep, also known as bharal, resembles domestic sheep but is larger, weighing about 25-40 kilograms and reaching lengths of up to 1.2 meters. They are widely distributed in the mountainous forests, riverbanks, and rocky areas of Yunnan, adept at leaping on cliffs. They feed on wild fruits, tender leaves, and green grass. They prefer to live in small groups and are most active during dawn and dusk. Rock sheep meat is delicious, with superior skin and fur, and in folk medicine, their heart, blood, tendons, horns, and hooves are used for medicinal purposes.
- Roasted Rock Sheep is a delicacy among the Dulong people. It is spicy and flavorful, tender and chewy, with a lingering aftertaste.
2 Yi Style Roast Rabbit
[Main Ingredients]
1 rabbit ………………………………………. 3500 grams
Sesame oil ……………………………………. 100 grams
Ground Zanthoxylum powder ………………………. 4 grams
Cooking wine ………………………………….. 150 grams
Ground cloves …………………………………. 3 grams
Salt ………………………………………….. 40 grams
Ground cinnamon ……………………………….. 2 grams
MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) ……………………… 8 grams
Pepper ………………………………………… 0 grams
[Cooking Method]
- Skin and eviscerate the rabbit, wash thoroughly, and let it dry. Rub salt all over the rabbit and let it marinate for 10 minutes. Pat dry to remove excess moisture.
- Skewer the rabbit with a small steel fork and pierce holes with bamboo skewers. Mix cooking wine, ground Zanthoxylum, cloves, cinnamon, and pepper into a sauce, and apply it evenly over the rabbit. Let it marinate for 30 minutes. Use gauze to pat dry the excess sauce, then roast over fire, brushing with sesame oil. Roast until golden brown with a fragrant aroma. Carve into pieces and arrange the whole rabbit on a serving plate.
[Key Techniques]
This dish employs two different marinating techniques: salting to establish a base flavor and then using a spice-infused marinade to enhance aroma.
[Flavor Characteristics]
- Wild rabbits inhabit mountain meadows and grassland areas. They are found amidst grasses, shrubs, and hillsides. Highland rabbits are large, about 430 millimeters long, their meat is edible, and their skins are used for clothing. Their feces are used in traditional medicine as “Wangyue Sha,” known for detoxifying, insecticidal, and vision-enhancing properties.
- This dish utilizes traditional Yi ethnic roasting techniques. With its golden color, crispy exterior, and tender meat, presenting the whole rabbit on the table creates a spectacular sight. It embodies strong local flavors and characteristics.
3 Grilled Pig’s Omentum
[Main Ingredients]
Pig’s omentum …………………………………. 250 grams
Rice wine …………………………………….. 20 grams
Pig liver ……………………………………… 400 grams
Salt (cooked) …………………………………. 7 grams
Lean pork …………………………………….. 150 grams
Soy sauce …………………………………….. 7 grams
Sugar ………………………………………… 10 grams
Bean powder …………………………………… 5 grams
Ginger ……………………………………….. 20 grams
Chopped spring onions …………………………… 250 grams
Five-spice powder ……………………………… 10 grams
[Cooking Method]
- Clean the pig liver and slice it into 20 thin, elongated pieces. Marinate with cooked salt, sugar, five-spice powder, chopped spring onions, ginger, rice wine, and soy sauce. Set aside.
- Wash the pig’s omentum and spread it out on a cutting board. Divide the lean pork into 20 portions and place one portion on the edge of the omentum. Place a slice of marinated pig liver on top and roll it up, folding it into a cylindrical shape with your hands.
- Thread each roll onto special small iron skewers and place them on a charcoal brick stove. Rotate the skewers frequently by hand, slowly grilling them until cooked through.
[Key Techniques]
Ensure each roll is aesthetically pleasing, grill over low heat to achieve even coloring, and aim for a crispy exterior and tender interior.
[Flavor Characteristics]
Rong’an County in Guangxi is home to several ethnic groups including the Miao, Yao, Dong, and Zhuang. Since ancient times, locals have practiced roasting poultry and wild game over an open flame. They have adapted this method to create “Grilled Pig’s Omentum,” where a slice of fatty meat is wrapped around a slice of pig liver marinated with sauces, ginger, rice wine, chopped spring onions, and five-spice powder. Skewered and slow-roasted, this dish has become a beloved delicacy among the various ethnic groups. During festivals like the Ghost Festival and Qingming Festival, people prepare Grilled Pig’s Omentum as offerings to their ancestors, cementing its cultural significance over time.
4 Zhuang Style “San Jia” (Three Fold)
[Main Ingredients]
Pig intestines ………………………………… 100 grams
Spring onions …………………………………. 10 grams
Rice sausage ………………………………….. 100 grams
Salt ………………………………………….. 5 grams
Pig liver ……………………………………… 100 grams
Soy sauce …………………………………….. 20 grams
Pig’s blood …………………………………… 200 grams
Vegetable oil …………………………………. 10 grams
Glutinous rice ………………………………… 200 grams
Fresh ginger ………………………………….. 10 grams
Mint leaves …………………………………… 10 grams
[Cooking Method]
- Wash the pig intestines thoroughly. Stir-fry the glutinous rice until golden, then mix it with pig’s blood, chopped mint leaves, and spring onions. Stuff this mixture into the pig intestines.
- Place the stuffed intestines in a pot with a small amount of water, and add pig liver and rice sausage. Cook together until done.
- Remove from heat, slice the pig liver thinly, and cut the rice sausage into small pieces. Arrange them on a cold dish and serve.
[Key Techniques]
After boiling, pierce the stuffed intestines with small bamboo skewers to prevent the pig’s blood from bursting the casing.
[Flavor Characteristics]
- “San Jia” refers to a cold dish featuring three items: rice sausage, pig liver, and pig intestines. When eating, one typically picks up one piece of each, totaling three pieces, and eats them together, hence the name “Three Fold.”
- Originally a unique dish of the Zhuang people in Xilin, Guangxi, whenever guests visit a Zhuang household, hosts warmly serve this delicious dish as a sign of respect. Especially at festive banquets, “San Jia” is considered a dish of honor, a tradition that has persisted for over 300 years. Influenced by the Zhuang culture, even the Han people living in Xilin have developed a taste for this dish.
5 Shuan Yang Rou (Hot Pot Lamb Slices)
[Main Ingredients]
Lamb slices ……………………………………. 750 grams
Pickled Chinese chives flowers ………………….. 50 grams
Chinese cabbage ………………………………… 250 grams
Soy sauce ……………………………………… 50 grams
Bean vermicelli (soaked) ……………………….. 250 grams
Chili oil ………………………………………. 50 grams
Garlic paste …………………………………… 100 grams
Shrimp oil …………………………………….. 50 grams
Sesame paste …………………………………… 100 grams
Chopped cilantro ………………………………. 50 grams
Shaoxing wine ………………………………….. 50 grams
Chopped spring onions …………………………… 50 grams
Fermented tofu …………………………………. 1 piece
[Cooking Method]
- After selecting the lamb meat, remove tendons, tough parts, and bones. Place in a cold storage (under -5°C) for approximately 12 hours until the meat is semi-frozen. Then, slice thinly. If no cold storage is available, freeze the meat in a freezer and press firmly. For freezing, alternate layers of ice and meat, separated by oiled cloth.
- Remove any uneven edges and skin from the semi-frozen meat slices, and trim off any excess fat or connective tissue. Divide the meat slices into sections, lay them flat on a cutting board, cover with a cloth leaving 1 cm of meat exposed on the right side.
- When slicing, use your left hand to hold the meat steady with fingers together, pressing down with the palm and cloth to prevent slipping. With the right hand, slice close to the joint of the thumb in a back-and-forth sawing motion. When the thickness of each slice reaches halfway, fold the upper half with the blade, fold the meat slice, and continue until each piece is folded into two layers (or can be cut into curled slices like shavings). Each 250 grams of meat can be cut into 40 to 50 slices of meat, but frozen meat can only be cut into 30 to 40 slices. The sliced meat should be thin, uniform, beautiful, and neat, and the meat slices of different parts should be separately coded in the tray.
- Place various seasonings in small bowls and serve them on the table. Diners can mix and match according to their preferences.
- Put water in the hot pot (also add an appropriate amount of dried shrimp and matsutake mushroom soup), boil it with charcoal, and then it is ready to eat.
[Key Techniques]
- When selecting lamb for Shuan Yang Rou, it is preferable to use small-tailed sheep from Jining, Inner Mongolia, especially castrated males, which have no gamey odor. The best amount for one sheep is about 7500 grams, including the “brain” of the lamb (the most tender meat with a bit of fat), “small three forks” (pork belly), “big three forks” (with fat on one end and lean meat on the other), “grind the crotch” (with lean meat and a bit of fat edge), and “cucumber strips” (tender meat with a bit of fat edge).
- “Shuan Yang Rou” is served by diners putting a small amount of sliced meat into the boiling soup, and then dip it in the prepared sauce, eating it with sesame biscuits and garlic. Do not put too much meat in the pot at one time. After the meat slices are cooked, they can be put in Chinese cabbage and vermicelli (or frozen tofu, white tofu, sour vegetables, etc.) and eaten as a soup dish. You can also use the meat soup to cook noodles (such as mung bean mixed noodles, egg noodles, etc.) and dumplings, making this flavor more perfect.
[Flavor Characteristics]
- “Shuan Yang Rou” is a famous halal dish with exquisite ingredients, thin and even meat slices, a variety of seasonings, and fresh and tender taste after being cooked. It is highly praised. The “Old Capital Baihua” states: “The lamb pot is the most common delicacy in the cold season. It must be eaten in the lamb restaurant. Such eating habits are the result of research and evolution of northern nomadic heritage and have become a special flavor.”
- “Shuan Yang Rou” has a long history. As early as the 17th century AD, there were records of lamb hot pot on the winter menu of the Qing Dynasty palace. In folk customs, people generally enjoy eating “Shuan Yang Rou” in autumn and winter. According to “Qing Classification of Clever Notes”: “In winter in Beijing, taverns sell drinks, and there is a small pot with boiling soup in the case, and the fire is below. Placing slices of chicken, fish, lamb, and pork, customers are invited to put them in the pot, waiting for them to be cooked and eaten.” “People regardless of inside or outside the teaching, all regard “Shuan Yang Rou” as a pleasure.”
[Qing]
In the fourth year of Xianfeng (1854 AD), Zhengyanglou, a meat market outside Qianmen, opened, and was the first creator of “Shuan Yang Rou” by the Han people’s restaurant. The meat cutter cut the meat into “thin as paper, without any completeness”, making this fine dish even more popular. In the early years of the Republic of China, the Donglaishun lamb restaurant in Beijing did not hesitate to spend a lot of money to invite Zhengyanglou meat cutters to specialize in “Shuan Yang Rou”. From the selection of lamb to the cutting of meat, from the preparation of seasonings to the use of tools for cooking meat, the efforts to study and improve have gained fame and spread a popular saying: “Where is the best meat, Donglaishun is the best”.
6 Yuan Bao San Dan (Stir-Fried Beef Tripe)
[Main Ingredients]
Beef tripe …………………………………… 250 grams
Salt ………………………………………… 3 grams
Cilantro …………………………………….. 70 grams
Vinegar ……………………………………… 5 grams
Chopped green onions …………………………. 10 grams
Clear broth ………………………………….. 75 grams
Ginger paste …………………………………. 5 grams
Rendered chicken fat ………………………….. 20 grams
Ground pepper ………………………………… 2 grams
Sesame oil …………………………………… 10 grams
[Cooking Method]
- Blanch the beef tripe in water that is 80% hot, rub off the layer of granular gray-black skin, and wash thoroughly. Place in a pot of boiling water, simmer over low heat until tender, then remove and discard any excess oil or impurities. Rinse with warm water, cut into pieces 5 cm long and 1.3 cm wide, blanch again in boiling water for 1 minute, drain well. Wash and cut the cilantro into 3 cm long segments.
- Heat the rendered chicken fat in a wok over high heat until very hot. Add chopped green onions and ginger paste, stir briefly until fragrant. Quickly add the beef tripe pieces, stir-fry briefly, then add clear broth, salt, ground pepper, vinegar, and cilantro segments. Toss briefly, drizzle with sesame oil, and serve.
[Key Techniques]
- Boil the beef tripe in water with high heat, requires simmering for at least 3 hours.
- Stir-fry the beef tripe over high heat with hot oil for a quick cook, prolonged heating makes it tough.
[Flavor Characteristics]
- “San Dan” is a part of the stomach of cattle or sheep, with a crispy and tender texture and a unique freshness that is easily digestible.
- This is a famous halal dish, made with beef tripe, crispy and fresh, rich in cilantro flavor, refreshing and not greasy, enticing the appetite. Prepared by the Hong Bin Lou Restaurant in Beijing, it is widely renowned.
7 Zhajuan Guo (Fried Rolled Beef)
[Main Ingredients]
Lean beef ……………………………………. 500 grams
Salt …………………………………………. 2.5 grams
Laozha (special Beijing product) ………………. 150 grams
Chopped green onions …………………………… 10 grams
Oil pastry (Youpi) ……………………………. 2 sheets
Ginger paste ………………………………….. 5 grams
Wet starch …………………………………… 150 grams
Peanut oil …………………………………… 700 grams
Ground Sichuan peppercorns (approximately 1 gram, used for seasoning)
[Cooking Method]
- Remove any tendons and membranes from the beef, chop it finely, mix with chopped green onions and ginger paste. Add crumbled Laozha, 100 grams of wet starch, salt, and ground Sichuan peppercorns. Gradually mix in 150 grams of cold water, stirring until well combined into a meat filling.
- Flatten the 2 sheets of oil pastry, evenly spread wet starch slurry on top. Divide the meat filling into 2 equal parts, shaping each into a cylindrical roll about 23 cm long. Roll each meat roll with an oil pastry sheet to form a cylinder. Steam over high heat until cooked through. Remove and wrap tightly in a clean cloth, press firmly. Unwrap after cooling, then slice into 0.66 cm thick pieces.
- Heat peanut oil in a frying pan until it reaches about 70% heat. Fry the sliced rolls for about 2 to 3 minutes until the filling turns red.
[Key Techniques]
- Oil pastry (Youpi): A thin layer formed on top of soy milk after boiling and cooling.
- Wet starch slurry: Mix 50 grams of wet starch with an equal amount of water until smooth.
- Oil at 70% heat: Preheat the pan until hot, then add vegetable oil until it just starts to smoke, indicating it’s at 70% heat.
[Flavor Characteristics]
- “Zhajuan Guo” is a traditional dish served in Beijing’s Halal restaurants. Many Hui people, who adhere to Islam, enjoy serving fried rolls like Zhajuan Guo and sugar-coated rolls during festive occasions. Laozha, a special product of Beijing, is made from mung bean flour mixed with water to form a paste, which is then pan-fried into a soft and fragrant food item. It can be used alone or in combination with other ingredients to enhance texture.
- “Zhajuan Guo” derives its name from wrapping the main ingredients with oil pastry. The pastry is yellow, while the filling is red, offering a crispy exterior and tender interior with a rich and aromatic flavor. It is best enjoyed dipped in a mixture of ground Sichuan peppercorns and salt.
8 Grilled Lamb Skewers
[Main Ingredients]
Lean lamb loin ……………………………………. 750 grams
Chili powder ……………………………………… 0.5 grams
Ground Sichuan peppercorns ………………………… 1 gram
Ground cumin ……………………………………… 3 grams
Soy sauce ………………………………………… 100 grams
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) ………………………… 5 grams
Salt …………………………………………….. 10 grams
Sesame oil ……………………………………….. 50 grams
[Cooking Method]
- Wash the lamb loin thoroughly and cut into round pieces with a diameter of 2 cm and thickness of 0.66 cm, making a total of 70 pieces. Take 10 silver skewers, and thread 7 pieces of meat onto each skewer. To thread the meat: Hold a piece of meat with your left hand, insert the silver skewer from the back to the front, then from the front to the back, repeating this process twice.
- Mix 1.0 gram of MSG into the soy sauce until well combined. Mix together the ground Sichuan peppercorns, chili powder, ground cumin, salt, and remaining 3.0 grams of MSG to create a seasoning mix.
- Arrange the meat skewers on a flat grill rack over charcoal. Brush the soy sauce mixture onto the meat (apply twice) and sprinkle with the seasoning mix. Grill for about 3 minutes, turning frequently until the meat turns a golden brown color. Repeat the same brushing and grilling process on the other side. Finally, brush both sides with sesame oil and serve on a plate along with the skewers.
[Key Techniques]
Choose lamb loin or leg meat, remove any tendons and membranes, and ensure consistent size of the meat pieces. Turn the skewers frequently during grilling to ensure even heating on both sides.
[Flavor Characteristics]
“Grilled Lamb Skewers” are a famous snack of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang, China. Tender lamb loin meat is selected and threaded onto silver skewers (a specialized tool resembling a sword with a pointed, flat round end and a handle, about 33 cm long). Seasonings are added during grilling. Once cooked, the meat has a golden brown color, with a fresh and tender texture, combined with spicy, salty, fragrant flavors, and a lingering aftertaste. Due to its unique preparation and exceptional taste, it is widely loved and popularly enjoyed across northern regions.
9 Hand-Pulled Lamb
[Ingredients]
Lamb loin with bone ……………………………. 1000 grams
Cumin seeds ……………………………………. 0.5 grams
Cilantro ……………………………………….. 20 grams
Ground black pepper ……………………………… 0.5 grams
Spring onions …………………………………… 25 grams
Vinegar ………………………………………… 6 grams
Ginger slices …………………………………… 10 grams
Soy sauce ………………………………………. 60 grams
Minced garlic …………………………………… 10 grams
Shaoxing wine …………………………………… 5 grams
Star anise ……………………………………… 1 gram
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) ……………………….. 1 gram
Sichuan peppercorns ……………………………… 1 gram
Salt …………………………………………… 5 grams
Cinnamon ………………………………………. 10 grams
Chili oil ………………………………………. 50 grams
Sesame oil ……………………………………… 5 grams
[Cooking Method]
- Chop the lamb loin with bone into pieces measuring 6.6 cm long and 1.65 cm wide, then wash thoroughly. Remove the roots from the cilantro and wash, cutting into 0.66 cm long segments. Cut 10 grams of spring onions into 3.3 cm long pieces and finely chop the remainder.
- Mix minced spring onions, minced garlic, cilantro, soy sauce, vinegar, MSG, ground black pepper, sesame oil, chili oil, and other seasonings to make a sauce.
- Pour 1000 grams of water into a pot, add the lamb meat, and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam, then remove the meat and rinse it clean. Next, bring 1500 grams of water to a boil, add the lamb meat, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, cumin seeds, cinnamon, spring onion segments, ginger slices, Shaoxing wine, and salt. Once the broth returns to a boil, cover the pot and simmer over low heat until the meat is tender. Remove the meat, place it on a plate, and serve with the prepared sauce for dipping.
[Key Techniques]
It’s essential to use lamb loin with bone, cutting each piece to include the bone without chopping it too finely. The dish is traditionally eaten by pulling the meat off the bone by hand.
[Flavor Characteristics]
- “Hand-Pulled Lamb” is a traditional dish of ethnic minorities in northwest China. According to historical texts, “Lean lamb pieces are placed into a pot. As soon as the soup boils, they are taken out and cut into large chunks. Each chunk exposes its bone about an inch long, resembling a handle. People hold a chunk in their left sleeve, grip the bone upside down, akin to holding a scepter.” This unique eating method gives the dish its name “Hand-Pulled Lamb.” It is widely enjoyed among the Hui, Mongolian, Uyghur, Tibetan, and Hui ethnic groups.
- The meat is tender and flavorful, with no gamy smell, making it a beloved dish appreciated for its rich taste and texture.
10 Clay Pot Lamb Head
[Ingredients]
1 cleaned lamb head ………………………….. 2500 grams
Ginger juice ………………………………… 2.5 grams
Shaoxing wine ……………………………….. 2 grams
Dried shiitake mushrooms ……………………… 5 grams
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) …………………….. 5 grams
Baby bok choy ……………………………….. 4 stalks
Sugar ………………………………………. 2.5 grams
Chicken broth ………………………………. 1250 grams
Green onion, cut into sections …………………. 10 grams
Salt ………………………………………… 1.5 grams
Ginger slices ……………………………….. 10 grams
Milk ……………………………………….. 150 grams
Rendered chicken fat …………………………. 150 grams
Cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) ….. 25 grams
[Cooking Method]
- Remove any remaining hair and impurities from the lamb head, wash off any blood with warm water, and place it in a pot of boiling water. Once the water boils again, skim off any foam and simmer until partially tender. Remove, debone, take out the eyes and brain (reserved for other use), remove blood vessels and fat membranes, peel off the tongue skin, and strip off the ear skin. Cut each lamb eye into 3 pieces. Blanch lamb head meat, lamb tongue (torn into pieces), and lamb eyes together in boiling water two to three times (each time adding 10 grams of Shaoxing wine and 2.5 grams of ginger juice), drain well, and set aside the lamb eyes separately. Blanch shiitake mushrooms and baby bok choy separately and set aside.
- Heat the rendered chicken fat in a clay pot over high heat until hot. Add green onion sections and ginger slices, fry until golden brown, add 10 grams of Shaoxing wine, pour in chicken broth, and bring to a boil. After about 2 minutes, remove green onion sections and ginger slices. Add 100 grams of rendered chicken fat and bring the broth to a rolling boil, ensuring the oil and broth blend thoroughly into a milky broth. Transfer everything into a large clay pot, add lamb head meat, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add salt, 20 grams of Shaoxing wine, 2.5 grams of ginger juice, shiitake mushrooms, and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until the lamb meat is tender, and the broth thickens. Finally, add sugar, lamb eyes, baby bok choy, milk, MSG, and the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
[Key Techniques]
This dish uses chicken broth and requires long simmering to blend the flavors of the broth and meat. Cooking in a clay pot preserves the original flavors and juices, resulting in a distinctive taste. Suitable for consumption during winter and can be served with minced garlic and cilantro.
[Flavor Characteristics]
Lamb head, an ordinary ingredient, is transformed into a praised halal delicacy through the skillful preparation of Islamic chefs. This dish is aromatic, with a milky broth, tender and flavorful lamb head meat, delicious when hot, and leaves a long-lasting aftertaste.