Linxia, ??Gansu, was known as Wuhan in history and "Hezhou" in ancient times. It is the northwest corner of China, located in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, at the junction of the Loess Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The Yellow River and its tributary Daxia River flow from here. It is 150 kilometers away from the provincial capital Lanzhou. This is the place where prefectures and counties were established in the past dynasties. It is an "important town in Hehuang". It has been the political, economic and cultural link between the Central Plains and the Western Regions since ancient times. Merchants have always gathered here, and trade has prospered. It is known as the "Commercial Port" in the west. It was once the The "Tea-Horse Mutual Trade" on the southern line of the ancient Long Silk Road is known as the "dry dock" of the west. It enjoys the reputation of "the hometown of flowers", "the hometown of painted pottery" and "the hometown of peonies", especially the halal The food culture has a long history, unique style and unique production methods. It pays special attention to the color, aroma and taste of halal food. All aspects of food production, raw materials and processing are strictly operated in accordance with Islamic rules. It is also the food of this region. A major feature of culture. Linxia's food, especially the Muslim food culture, is also rich and colorful. Traditional cooking techniques such as spicy chicken, hand-caught mutton, and barrel meat are far-reaching and have their own style and system. The aftertaste of one bite is long and unforgettable. Homely meals include fried dried fruits, loose seeds, oil incense, pot helmets, Hezhou sentences, fried noodles, cold noodles, rabbit ears, stir-fried dough balls, spread rice, flat food, chicken leg noodles, noodle tea and other rich and colorful food culture. In particular, with the rapid development of the market economy, the halal dishes prepared by Muslims who are interested in cooking are not inferior to the series of northern and southern dishes. There are also many local snacks with unique flavors such as beef offal cuts, haggis offal, hairy noodles, stuffed skin, jelly, sweet wheat, etc. Due to various reasons such as geographical location and natural environment, the local beef and mutton in Linxia are particularly special. It is delicious. Dongxiang hand-picked meat, mutton rafts, halal beef offal, oil noodle tea, etc. are all famous local delicacies. You might as well have the opportunity to taste it in person in Linxia and experience the authentic taste of Linxia food culture.

Linxia people’s food is excellent. During festivals, the streets and alleys are filled with the tempting aroma of fried food. When guests arrive home, the enthusiastic host pours "Sanpaotai" bowls and five-spice fried food. For tea, the hostess quickly brought over a plate of oil that had just come out of the pot. It was crispy and soft, and was smeared with honey, which was sweet and fragrant. During the festival, there are many kinds of fried dumplings with yellow and white flour, sweet and soft, and crispy and delicious dumplings. While you were savoring it with gusto, you brought out a plate each of sugar buns and meat buns, then hand-caught mutton, large pieces of spicy chicken, and finally Ga noodle slices, making the guests eat deliciously and comfortably. This is the rich national characteristics and colorful national customs of the simple and kind-hearted Chinese "wheat flour", forming a distinctive flavor of the Muslim food culture.

1. Hand-caught mutton

Hand-caught mutton is a representative dish of Linxia. There is a popular saying: "When we talk about hand-caught food, we think of Linxia" and "When guests come, if we don't eat hand-caught food, it will be a waste to come to summer." Hand-caught mutton has almost become a masterpiece of Linxia food culture. According to research, Linxia was called "Quahan" in ancient times, and Hezhou sheep was also called "Paodi sheep". It was once a tribute to the imperial court, and "Linxia red marrow mutton" has always been famous. In particular, Dongxiang mutton is fat and tender, with less fiber and fine texture. It is rich in protein and a variety of trace minerals. Eating it for a long time can strengthen the body's resistance and immune function. It has the functions of warming the kidneys, strengthening the body, refreshing the spleen, and nourishing the spleen. It has the functions of strengthening the stomach, beautifying the skin, and prolonging life. It is said that Linxia girls have delicate skin, are beautiful and have a dewy face, which is related to eating mutton since childhood. Hand-caught mutton is usually bone-in and cut into strips or pieces. It is named after eating it directly with your hands. Most of the sheep used to make hand-caught mutton are Jie sheep, and Jie lambs are the best. There are many ways to cook and eat hand-caught mutton, each with its own characteristics and different flavors. The most famous ones include Dongxiang hand-meat, bucket meat, braised mutton, etc. When entertaining distinguished guests, a series of hand dishes are usually served. If serving a single dish, mutton ribs are usually used. The finger meat is delicious, fresh in color and tender, with moderate fiber and fat content. It has no mealy taste, is fat but not greasy, and is extremely delicious. It is a pollution-free green food. It is said that people who have been ill and exhausted for a long time will regain their vitality immediately after eating "Dongxiang Shou Zhao". People who have the habit of eating regularly will panic if they don't eat for a few days. Even those who were born on the southeast coast and are not used to eating mutton will get sick once they get sick. Eat in Linxia, ??the delicious food is unforgettable.

2. Ping Huo

Eating "Ping Huo" is a folk custom in Linxia where relatives and friends get together for a meal. During slack time or rainy and snowy days, like-minded friends get together. ***Tong paid an average amount of money to buy the sheep and recommended a master to cook it at his home. Generally, the master did not pay for the sheep and was responsible for the processing, but he still got a share of the meat. After the meat is cooked whole, it is moved from the owner to all the people attending the dinner. The whole sheep is divided into equal parts according to the head. When cutting, every part must be cut into portions. Each person has one portion, and each portion has one portion. There are seven parts: the front part, the back part, the ribs, the chest, the back, the neck, and the tail. Then everyone eats his own portion. If you can't finish it, you can take it away. After eating the meat, grab the noodles in the broth and have a dinner together. From slaughtering the sheep, preparing the meat, dividing the meat, and eating the noodles, everything was covered in a lively atmosphere. People were talking and laughing, joking with each other, and it was extremely lively. Of course, "scraping the bowl", "eating melon seeds", and "eating fat seeds" are inevitable, and in the end, the boss will end up with his head and feet in the water. Eating equal meals is a typical portrayal of Dongxiang people's collective spirit of equality, mutual assistance, unity and harmony. Equal partners, equal partners, sit on equal footing.

First of all, the meat is divided into "shares", no matter rich or poor, no matter how high or low, they are all equal, and each person has one share, and the portion is the same; secondly, after the money for the flat is divided, you can pay in cash or put it in the "August account", that is, when the grain arrives When there is a good harvest, the grain is used to cover the meat money. The generous and open-minded character of Dongxiang people is fully reflected in the custom of eating flat rice.

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