Stir-fried lamb is a traditional delicacy in Ningxia. It is made in various parts of Ningxia, but the one made in Pingluo County is the most distinctive and well-known, so it is also called "Pingluo Lamb".

Huangquqiao Town, fifteen kilometers away from Pingluo County, has been a gathering place for Hui people since ancient times. The catering industry is a business that the Hui people are good at. Among them, the most famous is the stir-fried lamb.

When you walk into Huangquqiao Town, you can see restaurants of all sizes specializing in stir-fried lamb. Drivers and tourists who come and go like to stop here and have a delicious fried lamb meal. Sautéed lamb. At its peak, Huangquqiao Street was almost entirely devoted to the lamb business, with more than 100 fried lamb shops alone.

Huangquqiao stir-fried lamb became popular among the people during the Republic of China. After many years, this dish remains famous because of its "authentic" taste.

First, the raw materials must be "authentic" and must be lambs grown on grass in Lingsha, Baofeng, Lihe and other places close to the banks of the Yellow River. Because among the weeds eaten by the Tan sheep on the edge of the Yellow River, there are many Chinese medicinal herbs such as ephedra, mint, mugwort, sophora, licorice, etc., and the lamb meat fed with green grass is naturally fresher and more fragrant than those fed only with feed. Lamb is better.

Secondly, for lambs to be "authentic", it is best to choose lambs that are two to three months old and weigh between 7.5 and 10 kilograms. If the lamb is too small, the meat will be tender and tasteless; if the lamb is too big, the meat will be old and tender. Cooking Huangquqiao lamb is mainly based on "explosion" and uses both "stew" and "braising" techniques. Stir-fry over high heat to allow the aroma to penetrate into the meat, making the dishes tender, delicious and fragrant.

Thirdly, the cooking techniques must be "authentic". The Hui people have always paid attention to "clean, cool, refined, and beautiful" in the catering industry. "Clean" means clean and spotless, "shuang" means fragrant and refreshing, and "jing" means careful cooking, selection of high-quality raw materials, and continuous improvement of technology. "Beauty" means good color, aroma, taste and shape.

Fat but not greasy, not fishy and not smelly, not thin but not bad, cooked high-quality lamb should quench thirst, hunger and greed, has both hot and sour taste, can withstand the cold, is convenient and affordable, Eat as you go. As the old saying goes: "The eight heroes from Zhou Dynasty dismounted their horses after smelling the fragrance, and the three heroes from Han Dynasty stopped their horses after knowing the taste." Whether you are a guest traveling from north to south or a foreign friend, you will all applaud and praise it after eating.

Huangquqiao’s stir-fried lamb is very particular. First, cut the lamb into cubes of about three centimeters and soak it in water for two hours; put the frying spoon on the fire, pour in an appropriate amount of sesame oil, heat it up, add the meat pieces and stir-fry for eight minutes; when the lamb meat turns brown, add Add vermicelli, appropriate amount of green onions, garlic sprouts, refined salt, pepper water, soy sauce, ginger slices, chili flakes, and balsamic vinegar, then stir-fry a few more times; add a little stock, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes; remove from the pan and serve on a plate. A dish of Huangquqiao stir-fried lamb is ready with tender meat, spicy and refreshing taste, dark red color, soft aroma, fat but not greasy, nourishing and strengthening effect, and good color, aroma, taste and shape.

The reason why Huangquqiao stir-fried lamb is fresh and tender, has no smell, and is fat but not greasy is because the researchers believe it is related to the water quality of Huangquqiao. The water in Huangquqiao is hard and tastes astringent. Therefore, many outsiders who first come to Huangquqiao or eat there are not used to drinking the boiled water there, unless they make tea. However, it is this water quality that creates the quality of Huangquqiao’s stir-fried lamb. When the Huangquqiao lamb is cut into cubes and cold-soaked in water, this water quality not only removes the blood, but also soaks away the mutton smell of the lamb without destroying the tenderness of the lamb.

To this day, although you can eat this stir-fried lamb in many places in Ningxia, if you are a eater who pursues texture, I still recommend you to go to Huangquqiao to taste the most authentic stir-fried lamb. Meat.