Qinghai’s food tastes are rich in plateau characteristics and ethnic style. The color, aroma, taste and shape are all integrated with the ancient customs and frontier customs of various ethnic groups. Even some foods originating from the mainland have been created and improved in Qinghai, incorporating a strong plateau flavor.
The main features are as follows:
1. Mainly pasta, it can be divided into more than ten categories such as rolled noodles, kneaded noodles, steamed noodles, fried noodles, dough noodles, etc. Among them, noodles, pulled strips, steamed buns, tsampa, etc. are already popular among people. A familiar delicacy. On the train to Xining, the northwest-style stuffed skins sold by the conductor along the train are also one of the typical Qinghai snacks. It is completely different from the food with the same name that I have eaten in the mainland. From its appearance to its taste, the stuffed skin here is dark, thick, and tough. It has a special taste. According to the locals, it is sweetened with sugar. I made a kind of plant alkaline only produced in Qinghai, poured it with various seasonings, and vinegar made from grass fruits. I guarantee that you will never forget it after you return to the mainland.
2. And because Qinghai is a place with relatively developed animal husbandry, there are also a lot of beef, mutton, and dairy products. Traveling to small places in Qinghai allows you to taste authentic plateau dishes. The yaks, Tibetan sheep, Puer goats, etc. in Qinghai Province taste the delicious grasslands, colorless flowers, and various herbal condiments. The meat is more fragrant, nutritious, and absolutely pollution-free. It is the best quality for making finger meat. There is also offal soup made from the tripes, brains, intestines and hooves of cattle and sheep. Drinking a bowl of it will not only provide you with heat to resist the severe cold, but it is also fragrant and delicious and will definitely satisfy your cravings. Barbecued meats, roasted lamb tendons, and lamb tripe in clear soup on the streets...the hot air hitting your face and the tangy aroma will make you completely forget about your vow to lose weight.
3. As for dairy products, Qinghai yogurt is the first choice. Unlike mainland yogurt, the yogurt here is thick and needs to be eaten with a spoon. It has a thick layer of milk skin condensed on it. Its fragrance, freshness and tenderness are extraordinary. It can be found at the snack alley in Xining. You can taste it, but to taste the real "gluttonous" yogurt, you must go deep into the pastoral areas and go to the herdsmen's homes to discover... In addition, there are milk tea, qula, butter, etc., which you must try when you come to Qinghai. What's even more rare is that these are not palace snacks, but daily food for ordinary people.
4． When it comes to the taste of Qinghai dishes, they are mostly known for their spiciness. The hot peppers produced in Xunhua Salar Autonomous County, Qinghai Province are high-quality agricultural products in my country. The Xunhua chili powder is "splashed" with green oil produced in Menyuan County, Qinghai Province. , is a must-have food on the local table. When tasting snacks in Qinghai, the boss will always ask "How to put the spicy food?", think carefully before answering.
5. In recent years, Sichuan cuisine has entered Qinghai in a big way, just as it has entered other cities. Sichuan restaurants can still be found in remote places like Maqin and Wudaoliang. Especially in Xining, Golmud and other places, the "Mala Tang" and those "Hangzhou Xiao Long Bao" or "Northeast Big Dumplings" and other signboards make you feel friendly, and you immediately get rid of the embarrassing idea of ??not being used to the northwest food.
Chuan Tuan: It is a snack commonly eaten by Qinghai folk, with a novel and unique method. Add a small amount of flour to the fine bean noodles. After the water in the pot is boiled, add a little salt. Stir and add the bean noodles until they are dry and wet, and the main body is ready. There are many ways to eat the dough. Use a spoon to dig a piece into a bowl while it is hot. Use the back of a spoon to press it into a concave shape. Add the prepared spicy oil, garlic paste, vinegar, etc., and then add Qinghai sauerkraut and green beans. , radish, cut into small pieces with chopsticks and eat. This typical way of eating is called "mixing pimples".
Sweet fermented grains: Collect the sand from the Qinghai specialty highland barley, grind off the outer skin, and wash it clean. Wash away the impurities and bran with clean water, cook it in a pot, drain and cool, sprinkle in the sweet wine koji, and mix thoroughly. Put it into a pottery vessel and seal it, cover it tightly with a quilt, ferment it at a constant temperature of about 15 degrees for a period of time, then open it and eat it. It is somewhat similar to food such as fermented rice, but it is more mellow and sweet, with the special flavor of highland barley. There is a jingle that goes: "Sweet fermented grains are so sweet that my grandma swallows them with saliva. One or two bowls will open his stomach. Three or four bowls will make up a meal."
Stuffed skin: and Shaanxi rolls The dough is almost the same, but much thicker than the rolled dough. It’s delicious. There are leeks in it. Of course, you can leave it out if you don’t like leeks, but you must eat the stuffed dough! Ma Zhong’s is the best!
The snacks in Qinghai are completely different from those in Xinjiang. The snacks in Qinghai are more delicate, while the snacks in Xinjiang are mainly large (such as large plate chicken, roasted whole lamb, pilaf, naan, etc.).