All About Ulanqab Snacks_Ulanqab Specialty Food Introduction
Ulanqab is strategically located, serving as a transportation hub for Northeast, North China, and Northwest economic circles, and also an important international passage to Mongolia, Russia, and Eastern Europe.
Its specialty Specialties include: buckwheat noodles, bean flour noodles, oat noodles, Zhuozishan roasted chicken,radish shreds crisp cookies, Tabaixi, sandwort buns, Wumeng grassland milk skin, rich broth stewed tripe, shrimp and rice vermicelli.is the wood ear mushroom. duck head cured meat, Dagan Id, crispy batter,pheasant,mutton, etc.
radish shreds crisp cookies
Introduction
Radish shred crisp cookie taste: crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, flaky and fragrant. Radish crisp cookie uses white radish as filling. White radish has the effects of dispelling gas and relieving middle obstruction, removing stagnation, promoting digestion, and moistening the lungs to expel phlegm. It is beneficial for chest tightness, wheezing, decreased appetite, cough with phlegm, etc., as a food therapy. However, in the making process, it uses lard much. Although it combines meat and vegetables, its calorie content and animal fat are high. It is not suitable for overweight individuals, middle-aged and elderly people, or those with arteriosclerosis.
Preparation Method
Part 1: Radish Filling
Mashed white radish 500g, chopped spring onion as appropriate, shrimp chips a small handful.
Seasoning: salt, black pepper, an appropriate amount of sesame oil.
Preparation:
1. White radish peels and cuts into thick shreds, adds some salt for 20 minutes to release water, then squeezes out the moisture.
2. Adds chopped spring onion, shrimp chips, mixes in seasonings and seasons well.
Part 2: Dough Layer
A. Crispy Filled Dough:low-gluten flour 65g, plant oil 20g.
Preparation: Mix the ingredients evenly in a steel bowl to form a smooth dough. Cover with cling film and store in the refrigerator.(No kneading is needed to prevent the flour from becoming tough and affecting taste).
B. Yeast Dough
Mashed white radish 200g, cold water 110g, instant yeast a third of a teaspoon, fine sugar 10g, salt a little bit, plant oil 10g.Surface decoration: egg white liquid, white sesame seeds
as appropriate.Preparation: 1. All ingredients are added to the bowl and mixed until they form an elastic dough (add reserved cold water in small amounts as needed).2. After the dough becomes elastic, continue kneading until smooth. Roll the dough into a ball, cover with oil-lubricated container and let it rise at room temperature for 2 hours. 3. Divide the risen dough evenly into 8 parts and roll them into balls.
4. Shape the crispy filled dough into a column shape, divide equally into 8 portions.
5. Flatten the yeast dough with smooth side facing out, wrap it around one portion of the crispy filled dough, seal well.
6. Press the sealed dough slightly to stretch it into an elliptical thin sheet with smooth side down. Cover with a damp cloth for rest for 10 minutes.
7. After resting, roll the dough into a long shape and flip over, roll up from short end, cover again with a dry cloth and let rest for another 10 minutes.
8. After resting, use your thumb to press through the center of the dough and fold both ends towards the center by pinching them together, then flatten it into a circular thin sheet.
9. Place appropriate seasoned radish filling in the middle (make sure not to touch the surrounding edges to avoid difficulty sealing).
10. Seal tightly at the seam, roll between your palms and shape into a ball.
11. Brush with egg white liquid and coat with sesame seeds on top.
12. Arrange neatly in a baking dish and bake in preheated oven at 200°C for 20-22 minutes until golden brown.
Mongolian Lamb Intestine
Introduction
Mongolian lamb intestines are the most prominent among local snacks, especially those from Suozhishan Banner, which emphasize "three ingredients," "three soups," and "three flavors."
"Three ingredients" are divided into main three ingredients and auxiliary three ingredients.
Main three ingredients are heart, liver, and lung, also known as the "three reds";auxiliary three ingredients include stomach, intestine, head, foot, and meat, known as the "three whites." When cooking these ingredients, cut them into long strips or fine shreds.
"Three soups" refer to "original soup lamb intestines," "clear soup lamb intestines," and "old soup lamb intestines."
"Original soup lamb intestines": wash the lamb intestines, cook them with broth and water together. The taste is fresh and mild.
"Clear soup lamb intestines": first blanch washed lamb intestines, discard the soup, then add them to the soup again. The finished product is a popular snack in Ulanqab. The main three ingredients are heart, liver, and lung, also known as "three reds";while the secondary three are stomach, intestine, and head meat, known as "three whites". The main ingredients should be cut into strips or fine threads when added to the pot. There are three soups: "Original Soup Tripe", "Clear Soup Tripe", and "Old Soup Tripe".
Preparation
"Original Soup Tripe": wash the sheep tripe, cook it in a pot with water, then enjoy the soup along with the meat for its fresh and mild taste.
"Clear Soup Tripe": first blanch the washed sheep tripe, discard the broth, then continue cooking the tripe.Steam. Cut the well-cooked ingredients again, add water and seasonings to reboil until it comes to a boil, savoring the flavor in every bite.
Old Soup with Diversified Offals: Old soup is a thick, oily, and richly flavored lamb offal soup that has been simmered for an extended period without changing the broth. Cooking lamb offal in such soup results in a rich and lingering taste.
Three flavors are simple to describe; at any restaurant specializing in lamb offal dishes, they offer these three condiments: finely chopped coriander, brightly colored pepper flakes, and pure white salt. Guests can mix them as per their taste.
Gobi Sheep
Introduction
Gobi sheep are known for their tender meat, rich flavor without a strong muttony taste or excessive fat. They are one of the superior local livestock products in Ulanqab City. Over centuries, through natural selection and careful breeding by farmers, Gobi sheep have formed an excellent breed group. Gobi mutton has been served to the imperial kitchen, becoming a standout dish among many delicacies. Legend says that Emperor Kangxi disguised himself as a monk during a private visit to the Daurat Beret grasslands. He rode his strong horse and walked through the vast Gobi Desert. Autumn brought coolness to the grassland. Emperor Kangxi, after a long journey with his entourage, was tired and hungry when he smelt meat from afar coming from the west. He followed the fragrance of the meat and saw several yurts in the distance on the autumn campsite. The kind hostess welcomed Emperor Kangxi into her yurt, seating him at a distinguished place. Trying the fragrant fermented milk wine and tender Gobi mutton, he felt refreshed and energized. Having tasted exquisite delicacies that day, even though he did not express it, the emperor was pleased inside. Upon returning to Beijing, he issued an imperial decree ordering the provision of 3000 Gobi sheep and 3000 fermented milk wine jars each season for the palace kitchen. From then on, Gobi mutton was sent in from ancient postal routes to the capital.
Gobi sheep are hardy, able to withstand harsh conditions, with a high survival rate and quick growth. They can reach 62 kg for males and around 53 kg for females by six months. Gobi mutton is ideal for making hot pot, hand-pulled meat, and roasted lamb leg dishes.
Sandy Onion Buns
Introduction
In Ulanqab grasslands, fresh sand onions and freshly slaughtered big tail sheep are used to make buns. They are a great delicacy like hand-cut meat or grilled lamb legs when entertaining guests.
Visitors to the Ulanqab grassland who taste these Mongolian buns made with sand onion and mutton always praise their freshness. The small flowers of the sand onion, slightly pinkish white, are a valuable seasoning for nomads.
People dry or salt the chopped onion flowers. Adding them to soups or meat stews enhances the aroma. Sand onions have rich nutrients and are free from pollutants, making them an excellent natural green food. Similar to wild onions but with unique fragrance, sand onions grow up to half a foot high, their leaves sharp and thin.
Despite scarce rain in Ulanqab grasslands, sand onions remain fresh. A broken stem exudes juice and oil, with flavors of onion, leek, and herb mixed. Freshly gathered sand onions can be preserved in jars with salt for a few days to make a tasty snack. In Ulanqab grasslands, buns made from fresh sand onions and freshly slaughtered big tail sheep are a top delicacy when entertaining guests. Visitors always praise these Mongolian buns for their freshness and aroma. Features:The small flowers of the sand onion, slightly pinkish white, are an essential seasoning for nomads. People dry or salt the chopped onion flowers. Adding them to soups or meat stews enhances the aroma.
Sand onions have rich nutrients and are free from pollutants, making them an excellent natural green food. The unique fragrance of sand onions can be enjoyed by simply breaking a fresh stem in your mouth.
Roasted Lamb Leg
IntroductionRoast lamb leg is a delicacy for guests among the Mongolian people. It evolved from roasted whole sheep, focusing on the tastiest part: the rear legs of the lamb.
Finding these legs easier to cook and more flavorful, people started roasting just the legs, making this dish popular over time.
Through long development, various seasonings and ingredients were added, enhancing the flavor. The result is a golden-brown, crispy outside with tender, slightly dry inside meat.
The preparation involves cutting off the lower leg of a lamb, washing it, scoring it into a cross pattern, then adding carrot strips, celery, onion slices, ginger, tomato pieces, spices like pepper, wine, soy sauce, salt, and broth. The meat is baked for about four hours until the juices are reduced and the meat turns a reddish-brown color. Upon completion, the lamb leg is served whole on a platter, sliced into portions for dining.
Hot Pot Introduction Hot pot, also known as hot pot or mutton shabu-shabu, is a popular way to cook meat in Inner Mongolia.Thanks to the vast grasslands of Inner Mongolia with minimal chemical pollution and rich pastures, the mutton here is fresh and tender without any strong flavor. It's an excellent choice for this dish. Features:Hot pot in Inner Mongolia often uses parts like the lamb loin, leg, tail, or shank from big-tailed sheep, cut into thin slices, and cooked briefly in a boiling hot pot of broth. Toppings such as sesame paste, fermented bean curd, chives, and oyster sauce are served on the side. This method brings out the freshness of the meat without making it greasy or tough.Historical Culture Originates from the Yuan Dynasty.
Legend has it that during a campaign led by Emperor Kublai Khan, his troops were exhausted and hungry after fierce battles.
As they prepared to roast mutton around their campfire, news came that enemy forces were approaching.
Shu Yangrou is also called "shu guozi" and is a popular meat-eating method on the Mongolian grasslands.
Due to no chemical pollution in the vast Inner Mongolia grasslands, where water and pastures are lush and the temperature difference is large, the mutton produced here is fresh and tender without any fishy odor, making it superior raw material for shu guozi.
Characteristics:
Inner Mongolia Shu Yangrou often selects the upper part of the neck, sirloin, hind leg, and tail from the big-tailed sheep, cuts them into thin slices, and places them in hotpot boiling water for a light simmer. Then take already prepared sesame paste, fermented tofu,mussel greens , cauliflower, and soy sauce to eat. This method ensures that the meat is fresh, tender, not fatty or greasy, and novel.
Cultural History:
It originated in the Yuan Dynasty. Legend has it that during a southern campaign led by Kublai Khan, after fierce fighting, the troops were exhausted and hungry. Just as they were about to roast mutton, scouts reported that the enemy army was only ten miles away. Kublai ordered his troops to march and shouted, "Mutton" but the mutton was already too late to be roasted. The cook came up with a quick solution by slicing the mutton and putting it in boiling water to cook. When the color changed, he took it out and added salt, chopped onions, and ginger before serving it to Kublai. After eating, they won a great battle. When preparing for the feast of victory, Kublai specially requested the sliced mutton from before the battle. The cook imitated this method to make the meat more refined and added various condiments such as fermented bean curd and chili. The soldiers praised it highly, and Kublai immediately named it "Shuan Mutton". From then on, Shuan Mutton became a delicacy in the palace. It was passed down to common people during the Qing Dynasty's Guangxu period. Due to regional habits and conditions, different methods of preparation gave unique styles.
Fried Puppet
Introduction
A specialty from Chahar is A distinctive cuisine made from potatoes, buckwheat flour, and sesame oil - Fried Puppet. This can be called the "Three Treasures Rice" on the grasslands, rich in nutrition and with strong local characteristics. Some restaurants have started making this dish recently, but it's not done properly and is not authentic.
The restaurant chefs should learn from those who cooked in rural canteens. The basic method of preparing puppet is:Sweet potato Steamed and mashed to be soft and mushy. Buckwheat flour added appropriately, kneaded repeatedly, sifted with a grass sieve. Steamed on the steamer, sesame oil in the pan, add scallions and garlic, stir-fry with frying. The finished dish is soft, smooth, and fragrant.
Method
Basic method: Local potatoes are very tasty. Peel raw potatoes, wait for them to be fully cooked, peel off the skin, and grate into small pieces, mix with buckwheat flour, steam until done, add a little salt inside. In a stir-fry pan, put an appropriate amount of sesame oil, heat the pan before adding scallions, ginger, and garlic. Add the puppet to the pot and stir-fry continuously until fried and steamed, making it fragrant, soft, and chewy!
Fried Rice
Introduction
Fried rice in Mongolian is called "Mongole Badada", meaning "Mongol Rice". It's made through cooking, frying, and grinding procedures.
Fried rice is easy to carry and store well. Early morning, before herding, herdsmen drink a bowl of steaming milk tea mixed with fried rice, feeling refreshed after sweating. While herding, herdsmen take fried rice with them, mixing in some fried black beans or yellow beans, making it a great dry food. Fried rice is also delicious when eaten alone and chewed until sweet.
Mongolians prefer to eat fried rice mixed with various foods. Put the fried rice in a bowl, pour the fragrant milk tea, drink while adding more. When the tea is finished, the fried rice has softened. Add butter, milk skin, cheese, and brown sugar. The taste is sweet and sour, salty and rich.History and Culture According to historical records, this method of making fried rice appeared in Han Dynasty China.
At the end of the Song dynasty and beginning of the Yuan dynasty, with the development of animal husbandry, Mongolians widely consumed fried rice.
Legend has it that in 1219, three merchants from a foreign country brought fabric, cotton goods, and daily items to sell to Mongolia. After meeting Genghis Khan, he sent 450 Muslims who understood the customs of the West with him to do business.
When they returned, only one person escaped. The others were killed by general Inal. Angered, Genghis Khan secretly sent messengers and asked Haseen for a map of their country. Cleverly, Haseen shaved the messenger's head and painted it with purple dye to hide the map on his head. After growing back, he rushed to return home with the map. Soon after, Genghis Khan led 200,000 Mongol troops, carrying fried rice as provisions for their western campaign. When approaching Ehad City, the foreign reinforcements surrounded Genghis Khan's army from behind. Facing water and food shortages, Genghis Khan ordered his soldiers to dig wells. Using only a little fried rice, he survived until reinforcements arrived and captured the city, executing General Inal."Rich Soup Braised Three Treasures"IntroductionRich Soup Braised Three Treasures uses local specialties from Ulanqab City - potatoes, buckwheat flour, and mutton. Made with a specially prepared stock it has rich yellow color, fresh, rich, and fragrant taste. It's smooth when eaten and stands out with its strong regional flavor. The key to this dish is the thickness of the soup. If too thin, it loses its fragrance; if too thick, it ruins the texture.
A skilled cook adjusted the consistency perfectly, making each dish more delicious while preserving traditional local cooking techniques and showcasing the unique magic of local products.
Four banners Duomen Mutton
Introduction
Characteristics:The meat has a stone-like pattern with red and white hues. It's lean but tender, fresh and juicy. Duomen Sheep: A hybrid sheep from South Africa and local Mongolian sheep. They are big at birth and by four months weigh over 80 pounds.
Two lamb per year if well fed. Shepherds treasure them
Protected area:
The entire territory of Siziwang Banner.
Geographical coordinates: East longitude 110°20′00″～113°00′00″, North latitude 41°10′00″～43°22′00″.
Its flesh is stone-textured, red with white, lean yet plump, fresh and tender.
Dulumeng sheep:
Dulumeng sheep are hybrid meat sheep, with black heads close to ，bodies as white as snow, born heavy and large. At four months old, they weigh over 80 pounds. The fathers come from South Africa, while the mothers are local Mongolian sheep. Its flesh is stone-textured, red with white, lean yet plump, fresh and tender. They give birth twice a year if well-fed. Pastoralists regard them as treasures.
The protected area is:
Huozheng Banner in full.
Geographical coordinates are East Longitude 110°20′00″ to 113°00′00″, North Latitude 41°10′00″ to 43°22′00″.
