Freshmade Rou Jia Mo

• Chinese: 肉夹馍
• Main Ingredients: Wheat flour, pork belly or beef, soy sauce, etc.

Rou Jia Mo is a popular street food originating from Shaanxi Province in China. Because its layers resemble those of a hamburger, Rou Jia Mo is also known as the "Chinese Hamburger."

It consists of a flavorful filling of braised and shredded pork, stuffed into a flatbread, which has a slightly crispy exterior and a soft interior. The meat is usually stewed with a variety of spices and seasonings, giving it a rich and aromatic taste.

If you want to try other flavors, the Muslim Quarter in Xi'an offers Rou Jia Mo with cured beef filling. Unlike the tender and juicy pork filling, cured beef has a chewier texture and a saltier taste. It is also halal-friendly.

Biang Biang Noodles

• Chinese: Biang Biang 面
• Main Ingredients: Wheat flour, pork, vegetables, etc.

Biang Biang Noodles are a type of hand-pulled noodle from Shaanxi Province. These noodles are approximately 4 centimeters wide, which is why they are also known as "belt noodles." The funniest thing is this character is unofficial and doesn't exist in standard dictionaries. Biang Biang Noodles are said to get their name from the sound "biang" made when the dough is slapped against the countertop during the noodle-making process. The rhythmic slapping helps stretch and shape the dough into the long, wide ribbons characteristic of the dish.

Apart from flavoured meat and vegetables, the most classic serving of Biang Biang Noodles includes a variety of toppings, such as chili oil, garlic, vinegar and other seasonings.

Lamb Paomo with soup added

• Chinese: 羊肉泡馍
• Main Ingredients: Lamb or mutton, wheat flour, soup with a variety of aromatic spices.

Lamb Paomo is a traditional dish from Xi'an, and a quintessential example of this city's hearty and flavorful cuisine. It consists of a rich lamb soup served with crumbled pieces of dense, unleavened bread known as mo (馍).

Compared with other Xi'an food, Lamb Paomo will leave you with a unforgettable memory not because of it's flavour, but the way having it. Before serving, you need to break the bread into small, pea-sized pieces by hand. After that, the cooker will pour boiling lamb soup over it. With slices of lamb, green onions garnished, this dish is ready.

By the way, the bread in Lamb Paomo is different from the bread in Rou Jia Mo, even if they look familiar. In a word, the bread in Lamb Paomo is harder than the bread in Rou Jia Mo.

Enjoy the performance at a dumpling banquet

• Chinese: 饺子宴
• Main Ingredients: Wheat flour, meat (beef, pork or fish), vegetables.

The Dumpling Banquet in Xi'an is a unique and lavish culinary experience that celebrates the art of dumpling-making. A typical banquet features dozens of types of dumplings, often with different fillings, shapes, and cooking methods. You will be served with about 10 to 12 different dishes of dumplings. All of the dishes are unique and delicious with a well-designed appearance.

Also, different fillings will be added to the dumplings, such as pork, chicken, beef or seafood. If you're vegetarian, there are many choices for you, too. Many restaurants offer vegan dumplings with cabbage, leeks, mushrooms, or tofu as fillings.

The banquet has evolved into a formalized event, often accompanied by cultural performances, such as traditional music, dance, and even Tang Dynasty-inspired entertainment.

Xi'an lamb kabobs

• Chinese: 烤串
• Main Ingredients: Typical meat with different seasonings.

Xi'an Kabobs are a beloved street food from Xi'an. Known as "chuan" (串) in Chinese, these skewers are a must-try for food lovers visiting the region. As the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, Xi'an has a history of cultural exchange with the Middle East. This blend of Chinese and Middle Eastern influences is reflected in some of Xi'an's cuisine, with kabobs being a prime example.

These skewers typically feature meat, such as lamb, beef, or chicken, skewered and grilled over an open flame. The meat is seasoned with a fragrant blend of spices that reflect the region's diverse culinary influences, such as cumin, chili powder, sesame seeds, pepper, etc.

Xi'an's kabobs are very affordable, with each skewer of grilled meat costing only 1 to 2 RMB (equivalent to $0.14 to $0.28 USD). However, they are usually sold in bulk, with a minimum order of around 20 skewers.

Mix the liangpi and sauce together

• Chinese: 凉皮
• Main Ingredients: The noodles are made from wheat or rice flour and the toppings include different seasonings, such as sesame paste.

Xi'an Liangpi, or cold noodles, is a beloved dish from Shaanxi Province and a staple of Xi'an cuisine. It's known for its refreshing, chewy texture and bold flavors. And it is especially popular during the hot summer months.

It's served as a chilled dish. Firstly, the chef will prepare the noodles. The noodles are wide and flat, made from wheat or rice starch. After being steamed and cooled, the noodles will be sliced into thin strips before serving. Next, add some fresh vegetables and other ingredients, such as julienned cucumber, bean sprouts, wheat gluten chunks and chopped scallions.

Finally, add the seasoning sauce. It's no exaggeration to say that the sauce is the essence of this dish. It's a mix of chili oil, black vinegar, minced garlic, sesame paste, soy sauce and sugar. Each restaurant uses a different ratio of these seasonings, and some popular establishments even keep their seasoning recipes a secret.

Slice the Zenggao into pieces

• Chinese: 甑糕
• Main Ingredients: Glutinous rice, dried jujube dates, kidney beans and white sugar.

After introducing so many savory Xi'an delicacies, let's move on to some sweet treats. Zenggao is one of the representative sweet foods of Xi'an. It is made with glutinous rice, red dates, kidney beans, and white sugar, offering a soft texture and a very sweet taste.

The process of making delicious Zenggao is actually quite simple. Start by layering red kidney beans at the bottom, followed by a layer of red dates, then glutinous rice. Repeat the layers until the desired height is reached, and steam it for 2–3 hours. If you're lucky enough to catch a freshly steamed batch of Zenggao, the moment the vendor lifts the lid, you'll be greeted by the enticing aroma of glutinous rice mixed with the sweet scents of red dates, kidney beans, and sugar - sure to whet your appetite.

Gui Hua Gao skewered with sticks

• Chinese: 桂花糕
• Main Ingredients: Glutinous rice flour, sugar, osmanthus flowers, red bean paste, and sesame seeds.

Osmanthus Cake, also called yellow glutinous rice cake, is another traditional sweet delicacy popular in Xi'an. Known for its light, fragrant aroma and delicate sweetness, it is made with osmanthus flowers, glutinous rice flour, and sugar.

In the Muslim Quarter, you can find small stalls selling Osmanthus Cake everywhere. Vendors typically cut the cake into thin, long strips and skewer them with bamboo sticks. They are usually sold by the stick, costing around 2 RMB each (approximately 0.28 USD). Since it's both inexpensive and very common, just pick one and give it a try!

• Chinese: 胡辣汤
• Main Ingredients: Meat balls (basically beef), potatoes, carrots, black fungus and green beans with seasoning like pepper powder, and finally thicken the soup with starch.

If you've watched A Bite of China, you might remember that Xi'an cuisine featured Hula Soup in its introduction to local delicacies. It will definitely be a pity if you don't have Hula Soup as a breakfast like how local people do. It's popular beyond all ages in Xi'an, with spicy and warming flavors. In winter, it's a perfect way to start your day with such a warm dish.

The soup combines bold and aromatic spices, such as black pepper, chili, and star anise, giving it a slightly spicy and tangy taste. For breakfast, local people prefer Hula Soup with meat balls made with beef or pork. Apart from meat balls, the soup includes vegetables as well, such as potatoes, carrots or cabbage.

The soup's thick texture comes from adding a small amount of flour or starch during the cooking process, enhancing its rich and hearty mouthfeel.

• Chinese: 油茶麻花
• Main Ingredients: Wheat flour, oil, sesame seeds, peanuts, eggs, and Chinese spices like star anise or cinnamon.

Although "油茶", the Chinese of Youcha, means tea with oil added, Youcha in Xi'an actually is not traditional Chinese tea at all. It's a savory and nutty-flavored soup made with fried flour with oil added before boiling it with water. It is then seasoned with salt and mixed with sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, or small grains like millet, resulting in a thick, porridge-like beverage with a toasty aroma and creamy texture.

Mahua is a fried snack made by twisting strands of dough into intricate shapes and frying them until golden brown. It's crispy on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside.

The creamy, savory Youcha and the crispy, slightly sweet Mahua create a perfect balance of flavors and textures. Dipping a piece of Mahua into Youcha is a common way to enjoy both, as it softens the Mahua while adding its sweetness to the tea.