Essay2： Delicacies of Southern Xinjiang

XINJIANG LAMB is much sought after. This may be attributed to the quality of its pastures.  There are various ways of cooking lamb meat. Chunky cubes threaded onto skewers and cooked over hot grills are called Kebabs. These are very popular. However, "Whole Lamb Roast" ranks number one. It is a southern Xinjiang delicacy that attracts gourmets from all parts of China, and beyond.

One roasted goat is priced from RMB 2,000 to 3,000 depending on size and origin. The whole animal is coated with a mixture of spice and herbs and then cooked in a tandoor oven which is a pit dug in the ground. The intense heat produced by the burning wood and charcoal at the bottom of the pit renders the skin crisp while the meat itself remains juicy.

Yet another way of enjoying lamb is to cook it in soup (boiled lamb); it is delectable accompanied with a special sauce. Indeed, the various parts of the lamb – head, legs and entrails – are also eaten. Their display at foodstalls is an intriguing sight for tourists at the Khan Bazaar. In the evening, the bazaar transforms into a food haven with Xinjiang indigenous agri-produce such as skewered lamb, pigeon soup infused with rose petals and dates, naan bread, hot meat buns and pilaf rice cooked with lamb, local spices and dried fruit. 

Photo / 摄影 : LeowYL

南疆美食

南疆羊肉备受游客追捧。这可能归功于其优质的草原。烹制羊肉有多种方式。将大块羊肉串在木支或钢叉上烤制而成的叫做烤肉串。这非常受欢迎。然而在南疆排名第一的是“烤全羊” 。这个美食吸引来自中国各地乃至更远地方的美食家到南疆来。一只烤全羊的价格从人民币2,000至3,000元不等，取决于羊的大小和来源。整只动物涂抹着一种香料和草药的混合物，然后放入一个地下挖掘的烤炉中烹制。在坑底燃烧的木头和木炭产生的巨大热量使羊的皮层变得酥脆，而皮下肉质则保持多汁。

享受羊肉的另一种方式是将其煮成汤，即羊肉汤；配上特制酱汁，味道令人垂涎。事实上，羊的各个部位 - 头部、肘蹄、关节、腿部和内脏 - 也都会被食用。它们在罕巴扎的食品摊位上展示出来，对游客来说是一个有趣的景象。傍晚时分，巴扎变成了一个美食天堂，两排的熟食摊位供应着让人产生选择障碍的南疆特色美食，如羊肉串、玫瑰花瓣和枣子熬制的鸽子汤、馕饼、热肉包和烤蛋，还有配有当地香料和干果一起煮的抓饭。