Shaanxi cuisine makes elaborate use of ordinary ingredients and is characterized by its noodles, lamb/mutton dishes, and heavy use of strong and complex flavours. There is an emphasis on savoury flavours such as salt, garlic, onion and vinegar; sugar is seldom used. The main cooking methods are steaming, frying and stir-frying.
Due to its geographical location between the provinces of Shanxi and Sichuan, the flavours of Shaanxi cuisine include both the sour and spicy of Sichuan cuisine, and the salty flavours of Shanxi. Shaanxi cuisine's primary flavor profile is xiāng là (香辣) or "fragrant spicy".
Shaanxi cuisine uses more noodles than other Chinese cuisines, but Shaanxi noodles are almost always thicker and longer than those of Beijing cuisine, and to a lesser degree, Shanxi cuisine, especially the Biangbiang ones.[1][2][3]
The taste of Shaanxi cuisine can be quite spicy; however, this can be diluted by adding soy sauce.[citation needed] Many different types of meat are used in Shaanxi cuisine such as duck, lamb, chicken, and beef. Additionally, there are vegetarian mixed dishes where no meat is included, the extra flavour being provided by more spices, resulting in these dishes being considerably spicier.
Regional styles
Shaanxi cuisine includes three regional styles:
Northern Shaanxi style is characterised by the wide use of steaming as the method of cooking. The most common meat is pork, although lamb and mutton are also popular. Beans and soups are also popular.[4]
Guanzhong style, which uses pork and lamb / mutton equally with heavy flavours and tastes.
Notable for its name being written with one of the most complex characters used in modern Chinese.
Crispy fried noodles
金線油塔
金线油塔
jīn xiàn yóu tǎ
Cured beef and lamb
臘牛羊肉
腊牛羊肉
là niú yáng ròu
Gourd head
葫蘆頭
葫芦头
húlú tóu
A dish made from pig's large intestine. It is called "gourd head" because the pig's large intestine looks like the top of a gourd. It originated as street food during the Northern Song dynasty. Since then, the dish has evolved to include variations with meat fillings inside the pig's large intestine, as well as the inclusion of other ingredients. Pictured with bottle of Ice Peak soda.
A kind of pancake made from flour. It is round in shape, about a foot long in diameter, an inch in thickness, and weighs about 2.5 kg. It is traditionally presented as a gift by a grandmother to her grandson when he turns one month old.
Bread is shredded into pieces and put into a boiling beef or mutton broth before serving.
Lamb soup
水盆羊肉
水盆羊肉
shuǐ pén yáng ròu
Mingsixi
明四喜
明四喜
míng sì xǐ
As Shaanxi is located far away from the coast, seafood hardly features in Shaanxi cuisine. This dish, composed of ingredients such as abalone, sea cucumber, squid, Shaoxing wine and clear chicken broth, is served only at major banquets and festivals in Shaanxi.
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