Shizuishan Food Guide

Staple foods in Shizuishan are mainly wheat-based products. A great variety are available, including different types of noodles such as hand-torn dough slices, minced meat sauce noodles and dry tossed noodles, as well as steamed buns, twisted rolls, pan-fried cakes and deep-fried dough cakes. During festivals, locals treat guests to braised pork, stewed mutton, fried meatballs and dumplings.

Home to a large Hui population, Shizuishan boasts a thriving halal food culture. A local signature dish not to be missed is Shahu Lake Giant Fish Head, famed for its exquisite flavor.

Youyi Street in Dawukou District is a bustling commercial area with numerous restaurants. Here you can taste an array of noodles, local dishes and snacks.

Huangquqiao Stir-fried Lamb Cubes, Hand-served Mutton, Sheep Offal Stew, Assorted Braised Snacks, Rice with Starch Soup, Fried Dough Cakes, Fried Sesame Twists, Fennel Cakes, Crispy Buns, Starch Soup, Ground Grain Rolls, Cold Noodle Jelly, Elm Flower Pastries, Mutton Rolls, Chopped Buckwheat Noodles, Marinated Sheep Trotters, Roasted Sheep Heads, Fried Pastries, Mutton Hot Pot and Pan Cakes.

Steamed mugwort leaves, sophora flowers, desert chives, desert mustard and bitter herbs. These wild ingredients grow naturally in desert areas with no chemical additives. Simply season with salt and vinegar to serve.

Knead buckwheat flour into soft dough, then gently pull it through a stainless steel mesh to form small fish-shaped noodle strips. Cook the noodles in soup with tofu, diced beef or mutton, potatoes and green turnips.

Though similar in appearance to stretched noodles, they are made without any texture-enhancing additives. Their chewiness depends entirely on skilled dough kneading and pulling techniques. Other popular choices include pressed buckwheat noodles, green vegetable noodles, minced meat sauce noodles and mutton hand-torn noodles.

The Yellow River Carp is a renowned delicacy. As recorded in ancient medical texts including Compendium of Materia Medica, it also serves as a nourishing medicinal food that benefits the liver and kidneys. It helps relieve edema in pregnant women, irregular menstruation, otitis media and acute eye inflammation.

Clean fresh carp by scaling, gutting and rinsing thoroughly. Cut diagonal slits on the fish body, coat it with starch batter and deep-fry until golden brown. Place the fish on a plate and pour over specially prepared sweet and sour sauce. The finished dish features a bright color, crispy crust and tender flesh with a delicious taste.

Thanks to the superior local natural environment, mutton in Ningxia has no unpleasant gamey odor. Lambs aged two to three months yield the best meat — tender, fresh and non-greasy.

For this specialty from Huangquqiao in Pingluo County, tender lamb is cut into small cubes and stir-fried over high heat. The dish is pale white with a reddish tint, refreshing to eat and good for health conditioning.

Knead high-quality flour into dough and let it rest. Slice mutton, stir-fry the meat with chopped scallions, ginger and garlic in hot oil, then add soy sauce, salt and Chinese prickly ash water and simmer. Roll the rested dough thin, tear it into small pieces and boil them. Transfer the cooked dough slices into the mutton pan, stir well to absorb the flavor, and add stock, seasonal vegetables and chili oil. This dish stands out with chewy noodles and savory mutton.

A traditional folk pastry of the Hui people. Locals fry youxiang to celebrate distinguished guests, a baby's one-month or hundred-day ceremony, circumcision and weddings. It is also made for major Islamic festivals such as Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and the Anniversary of the Prophet's Death. Families share the pastries with neighbors to celebrate together. By custom, you should tear the pastry along the cut with hands instead of biting it directly.

This tea is widely enjoyed by people of all ages among the Hui community in Ningxia. The cover bowl, also known as a three-piece tea set, consists of a lid, a tea bowl and a saucer. The delicate patterned bowl has a wide rim and a narrow base.

In hot summer, it is more thirst-quenching than watermelon. On cold winter mornings, locals gather around stoves, pairing the tea with baked buns or fried sesame twists.

Different teas and blends are served for different seasons, including brown sugar brick tea, white sugar green tea and rock sugar honey tea. People choose varieties according to their physical conditions: rock sugar honey tea helps clear internal heat; brown sugar brick tea eases stomach discomfort; white sugar green tea aids digestion.

The traditional Eight-Treasure Tea for daily health care is brewed with tea leaves, red dates, Chinese wolfberries, walnut kernels, longans, sesame seeds, raisins and preserved fruits.

Restaurants at Shahu Lake Scenic Area specialize in full-course fish feasts. For honored guests, chefs serve giant bighead carp heads freshly caught from the lake, each weighing 15 to 25 kilograms. This popular dish has even been served at state banquets and wins high praise from all diners.

Clean and fully cook sheep heads, trotters, hearts, tripe, intestines and livers. Cut all ingredients into sections and mix evenly. Simmer with coriander, chili and other seasonings. The finished dish looks glossy and ruddy, featuring spicy, rich broth and an unforgettable flavor.

Youyi Street in Dawukou District, Shizuishan is a bustling commercial thoroughfare. It is home to many shopping venues such as People's Department Store, Huaxin Shopping Mall and Baihua Market, alongside various small shops and supermarkets selling daily necessities and tourist souvenirs.

When traveling in Shizuishan, you can take home traditional Ningxia specialties, mainly Chinese wolfberries and Helan stone. Other distinctive souvenirs include Shahu Lake reed crafts, sand sculptures, Xinghai Lake reed paintings, rubbings of Helan Mountain rock art, and stamp albums featuring the city's landmark buildings.