Reposted from the web

Summary: This Xi'an Chinese Muslim food guide follows the original Hui Muslim Quarter walking and eating route, including paomo, steamed meat, sweets, mosque lanes, addresses, and photos. It keeps the source's order for readers exploring halal street food in Xi'an.

I wrote this article during the May Day holiday. I planned to save it for Eid al-Fitr, but the tradition of beating the wooden clapper (bangzi) to signal the end of the daily fast is a special sight in the Muslim Quarter (Huifang). Since friends (dost) visiting the quarter during Ramadan can see the lively atmosphere of breaking and starting the fast, I decided to post it now.

First, I need to clear something up. The famous Xi'an Muslim Street (Huimin Jie) does not actually exist. It is more accurate to call it the Muslim Quarter (Huifang). It is a residential area for Hui Muslims covering less than two square kilometers, and every alley inside can be called a Muslim street.

Before the Qing Dynasty, the Xi'an Muslim Quarter was known for its seven mosques and thirteen neighborhoods. The seven mosques are: Great Mosque of Huajue Lane (Huajue Xiang Qingzhen Dasi), North Mosque of Xiaopi Yard (Xiaopi Yuan Qingzhen Beidasi), Ancient Mosque of Sajin Bridge (Sajin Qiao Qingzhen Gusi), Mosque of Great Learning Lane (Daxuexi Xiang Qingzhensi), Mosque of Dapi Yard (Dapi Yuan Qingzhensi), Mosque of North Guangji Street (Bei Guangji Jie Qingzhensi), and the Mosque of the Muslim Camp (Qingzhen Yingli Si). The thirteen neighborhoods are: Huajue Lane, Xiyang Market, Beiyuan Gate, Maixian Street, Dapi Yard, Xiaopi Yard, North Guangji Street, Shizi Temple Street, Great Learning Lane, Small Learning Lane, Damai Market Street, Sajin Bridge, and Huihui Lane south of the city wall.

This is not my first time in the Muslim Quarter, but I usually come here just to eat. I know many first-time visitors get overwhelmed by all the halal food on the streets and do not know where to start. There is just too much to choose from. Local elders told me there are at least 200 types of food here. You cannot try everything unless you stay for a month, which is impossible for tourists. We have to be selective. I prefer to eat and drink with the local friends (dost). Only by following the old neighbors can you find the authentic food. I will now share the guide to eating in the Muslim Quarter that the local friends taught me.

all halal restaurants in the Muslim Quarter do not sell alcohol.

This is thanks to the anti-alcohol movement started by the friends (dost) over twenty years ago, so you can eat and drink with peace of mind.

1. Little House Liu's Steamed Beef with Rice Flour (Xiaofangzi Liujia Fenzhengrou)



Little House Liu's has been open for at least 30 years and only sells steamed beef with rice flour (fenzhengrou). It is one of the famous snacks in the quarter. The special thing about their dish is that the rice flour is added before the meat, making the flour very flavorful and even tastier than the meat itself.





Address: North Guangji Street

2. Bai's Mirror Cake (Baijia Jinggao)



Mirror cake (jinggao) and steamed cake (zenggao, pronounced 'jing' in the quarter without the 'er' sound) are not the same thing. Mirror cake is a sweet treat that children in the quarter grow up eating. The Bai family has been making it for over ten years. The cakes come in many flavors, are served on small skewers, and have a light, sweet taste.



Address: You can find them at both Sajinqiao and the entrance of the Great Mosque (Qingzhen Dasi) on Huajue Lane.

3. Limu Stir-fried Crumbled Flatbread (Limu Xiaochao Paomo)



Locals in the Muslim Quarter (Fangshang) say that both regular crumbled flatbread (paomo) and stir-fried crumbled flatbread (xiaochao) belong to the same category. The difference is how they are cooked. Paomo is boiled, while xiaochao is stir-fried. You can choose to have it with less broth or with plenty of broth. Limu Stir-fried Crumbled Flatbread is not in a busy area, so it is quite quiet, and the taste is well-regarded by the people in the Muslim Quarter.



Other good places for crumbled flatbread include Yijianlou and Li Xin, which all taste fairly similar.



Pair your crumbled flatbread with a Bingfeng, a local Xi'an soda that holds the same status there as Beibingyang does in Beijing.

Address: No. 60 Dalianhuachi Street, next to the Lotus Pond Inn (Lianhuachi Pan Kezhan).

4. Bai Family Fried Cake Shop (Baijia Yougao Pu)



Fried cake (yougao) is a favorite sweet for people in the Muslim Quarter. It comes in three flavors and contains ingredients like peanuts, sweet osmanthus, and white sugar. It tastes sweet and fragrant, is made with great care, and is better than regular fried dough cakes (zhagao).





Address: 100 meters north of the intersection of Dalianhuachi and Maixian Street.

5. Shengzhiwang Sesame Paste Cold Noodles Shop (Shengzhiwang Majiang Liangpi Pu)



Their sesame paste cold noodles (majiang liangpi) are a famous snack in the Muslim Quarter. They have been open for many years, and locals are used to eating cold noodles for breakfast. I have to say, the cold noodles in the Muslim Quarter (Huifang) are rich in flavor and use plenty of ingredients, which I really like.



Address: West entrance of Dapiyuan.

6. Hongshunxiang Starch Jelly in Savory Sauce (luzhi liangfen).



Hongshunxiang Starch Jelly in Savory Sauce at the T-junction of Dapiyuan in the Muslim Quarter is one of the old-established shops in the area. Starch jelly in savory sauce is a dish that represents the Muslim Quarter even better than soaked flatbread (paomo). Visitors might not be used to it at first. You have to break the flatbread (mo) yourself before eating. Put the bread at the bottom of the bowl, pour on the savory sauce, add the starch jelly, and pour on another layer of sauce. Then add vinegar, sesame paste, garlic juice, salt, chili oil (youpo lazi), and mustard. Do not stir it when you eat; instead, rotate the bowl and slurp it so the flavors stay distinct.



An elder in the neighborhood introduced the dish to me like this: 'Whenever you see this bowl of food, you know the hot Xi'an summer is coming. If one dish could explain the uniqueness of the Xi'an Muslim Quarter, it would be starch jelly in savory sauce.' You won't find it in Muslim quarters elsewhere or in the Han areas of Xi'an. Its unique charm has been quietly passed down in this small neighborhood for a hundred years. The locals in the neighborhood affectionately call it 'buckwheat starch jelly in sauce' (lu qiaofen). Use a large, thick bowl, break the flatbread into large chunks, add sliced starch jelly, pour on the savory sauce, sprinkle with salt, and season with sesame paste, garlic juice, mustard, fragrant vinegar, and chili oil. If you want to be fancy, add a preserved egg (biandan) and a tea egg. That is how this vibrant, spicy bowl of food is made. It is simple, refreshing, nutritious, and flavorful. It is the perfect choice, especially for lunch during the summer.



Also, People say the starch jelly in savory sauce at Lao He's place is very authentic.

Address: T-junction of Dapiyuan (diagonally opposite Dingjia Small Crispy Meat and Shengjia Steamed Cold Noodles).

7. Laobai's Lamb Soup (shuipen yangrou).



Laobai's Lamb Soup on Beiguangji Street in the Muslim Quarter was featured on A Bite of China. It is one of the old-established shops recognized by the locals. You should eat the lamb soup with a firm flatbread (tuotomo). Break the bread yourself into pieces slightly larger than those used for soaked flatbread. Break off a bit, eat it, and then break off some more so the bread does not get soggy.





Address: No. 76 Beiguangji Street.

8. Nianzipo Laotongjia.



Laotongjia Cured Beef (la niurou) is one of the oldest established shops in the Muslim Quarter. Legend has it that when Empress Dowager Cixi fled to Xi'an, she smelled the aroma of their cured beef, enjoyed it, and personally inscribed a plaque for the shop. While praying at the mosque, I met the young owner of the Tong family. He shared their history and explained that the elder Mr. Tong insists on passing down traditional methods. He prioritizes quality over sales volume and focuses on serving the local residents of the neighborhood.



Laotongjia sells cured beef, spiced beef (jiang niurou), and oil tea powder (youcha fen). Locals love the cured beef. It has a reddish color and is softer and more tender than the spiced beef, making it perfect for both the young and the elderly.



Address: Tong Family Old Residence, No. 162 Beiguangji Street.

9. Grandma Hua · Chenchen's Shop.



Everyone knows Grandma Hua's sour plum drink (suanmeitang) is delicious, but you usually have to wait in line. There is a shop called Grandma Hua · Chenchen's Shop at the T-junction in Dapiyuan. The owner is Grandma Hua's granddaughter. The sour plum drink is brewed in the same pot as Grandma Hua's, so it tastes the same, but you do not have to wait in line. I only tell this to people I know.



Address: Dapiyuan T-junction, next to Hongshunxiang Braised Jelly (luzhi liangfen).

10. Southeast Asia Steamed Cake (zenggao).



Southeast Asia Steamed Cake in the Muslim Quarter is one of the most famous shops in the area. Steamed cake (zenggao) is pronounced 'jing gao'. This 'Southeast Asia' has nothing to do with the region. The old owner jokingly said his steamed cakes were sold to the 'East Gate (Dongguan), South Suburbs (Nanjiao), and the School for the Deaf and Mute (Longya Xuexiao),' which he abbreviated as 'sold to Southeast Asia.' Over time, everyone in the neighborhood just got used to calling that shop 'Southeast Asia' when they wanted to buy steamed cake.



The lotus leaf steamed cake (zenggao) from Yibao at the Niujie Halal Supermarket is made by the people from the Muslim Quarter (fangshang) in Xi'an.



Address: Northeast corner of Majia Shizi, Xiyangshi Street.

11. Ma Zhishan Xihulan Cooked Meat Shop.



Ma Zhishan's Xihulan is another old shop that locals in the Muslim Quarter visit often. Xihulan is actually cured beef that is very soft and tender. You can use it to make meat burgers (roujiamo). They can vacuum-pack it for you. I took a pound home to eat during the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) in Ramadan, and it kept my energy up all day.





Ma Zhishan's meat burger is the authentic kind. It is quite large, so one is enough to fill you up for a meal.

Address: No. 196 Beiguangji Street.

12. Ma Erli Meatball Spicy Soup (hulatang).



The meatball spicy soup is a signature dish of the Muslim Quarter. It is very different from the spicy soup in Henan. The version here has various vegetables and meatballs, and it is not very spicy.





Address: No. 113 Damaishi Street, Sajinqiao.

13. Qinyixiang Air-dried Beef.



A friend from Qianxian once gave me some Qinyixiang beef jerky, and my family liked it so much they asked me to bring more back when I visited Xi'an. I recommend the soy-sauce flavored beef jerky. Heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds before eating, then slice it with a knife. It has a long shelf life and makes a great snack. This brand has several branches in the Muslim Quarter.



Address: Dapiyuan / Xiyangshi.

14. Liu Zhijun Beef Sauce



An elder in the Muslim Quarter recommended Liu Zhijun’s beef sauce to me and suggested I take some back to Beijing. Their beef sauce is packed with flavor, so friends visiting Xi'an should definitely check it out.



Address: 133 Damaishi Street

15. Crescent (Xinyue) Cake and Pastry Shop



A local friend in the Muslim Quarter really loves this bakery. It is tucked away deep in the quarter and doesn't get many tourists. He wanted to keep it a secret because he was worried it would be harder to buy their desserts once it got popular.



Address: 94 Damaishi Street

16. Ding Family Crispy Beef (Dingjia Xiaosurou)



This is one of the famous local snacks. The line is always very long. It is made with beef and seasoned with eggs, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and cinnamon. I bought a vacuum-packed portion to take home; I just need to steam it to eat.



Address: 223 West Entrance of Dapiyuan

Mosque

After talking about food, let's talk about the mosques in the Muslim Quarter. The original seven mosques have grown, and there are more than seven today. I spent an afternoon walking to visit twelve mosques in the area. Maybe we can call it the 'Twelve Mosques and Thirteen Quarters' from now on.

The mosques in the Muslim Quarter belong to three sects: Gedimu, Ikhwan, and Salafiyya. The West Mosque (Qingzhen Xisi), Yingli Mosque, Daxuexixiang Mosque, and Dapiyuan Mosque belong to the Ikhwan sect. The Hongbujie New Mosque and Xicang Mosque belong to the Salafiyya sect, and the rest are Gedimu. The mosque map is as follows:



1. Huajue Lane Great Mosque



The Huajue Lane Great Mosque is the oldest mosque in the Muslim Quarter. It is a grand complex of ancient buildings with five courtyards. In 1988, it became a national key cultural relic protection site. It has welcomed over 10 million visitors from more than 100 countries.

















2. Xiaopiyuan North Mosque



The Xiaopiyuan North Mosque was originally called the True Teaching Mosque (Zhenjiao Si) or Longevity Mosque (Wanshou Si). Because it sits north of the Huajue Lane Great Mosque (also called the East Mosque) and is quite large, people also call it the North Mosque. Legend says the Xiaopiyuan Mosque was built at the end of the Tang Dynasty. In 1107, during the Daguan reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, the True Teaching Mosque was already one of the old mosques in the four districts of Chang'an. It is one of the earliest Islamic buildings in Xi'an.











3. Sajinqiao Ancient Mosque



The Sajinqiao Ancient Mosque in Xi'an is also known as the North Mosque. It is very old with a long history. Legend says it has existed since the Yuan and Ming dynasties, dating back six or seven hundred years.











4. Daxuexi Lane Mosque



The Daxuexi Lane Mosque in Xi'an was built in 705 AD. Zheng He once invited the imam here, Hasan, to be a translator for his fleet, and a Zheng He stele stands here. This place was also where Arabs came to China to learn the Chinese language.















5. Dapiyuan Mosque



The Dapiyuan Mosque is located at No. 108 Dapiyuan Street, Lianhu District, Xi'an. It was first built in the ninth year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1411) after Mr. Ma Daozhen bought the land.











6. Beiguangji Street Mosque



Beiguangji Street Mosque is said to have been founded in the late Ming Dynasty (around 1600 AD). It is located in Guangji Square near the Great Mosque of Huajue Lane. Locals call it the "Small Mosque" and jokingly refer to it as the "sentry gate" of the Great Mosque. The main buildings of the mosque were rebuilt in the 33rd year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1769 AD).







7. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque



The documented founding date of the Xi'an Yingli Mosque is the Jiawu year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, as marked on the plaque above the mountain gate tower. At that time, many of the soldiers stationed here were Hui Muslim officers and troops.

Notice the "Iftar" (kaizhai) sign on the mosque. It is a light box that turns on at sunset during Ramadan when it is time to break the fast. At the same time, a friend (dosti) walks through the streets hitting a wooden clapper to let everyone know it is time for Iftar. These light boxes are found on streets throughout the neighborhood to help those fasting see when the light turns on, and they have become a local sight.













8. Central Mosque



The Xi'an Central Mosque was built between the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China period.













9. Xicang Mosque



Xicang Mosque was established on April 1, 2003. It was originally a borrowed factory building that was later torn down and rebuilt as a mosque. It belongs to the Salafiyya movement. Every Thursday and Sunday, there are stalls selling flowers, birds, fish, and insects at Xicang. "Strolling the stalls" at Xicang is a favorite pastime for many long-time Xi'an residents.









10. Lvshan Mosque



Lvshan Mosque is a simple mosque built by Henan Hui Muslims living in Xi'an. The building was a private home in the 1970s. It was declared a dangerous structure and had to be torn down in 2011. Imam Ma Jie from the neighborhood led the fundraising to rebuild the mosque.







11. Hongbu Street New Mosque



This mosque was built in the 1990s after some community members bought a private house. It is a Salafiyya mosque with the style of a traditional residential courtyard.





12. West Mosque



The West Mosque on Sajinqiao was first established in 1920. The current site is said to have been a Buddhist mosque called Haihui Nunnery. It originally had three main halls. In 1926, community members who left the old Sajinqiao mosque raised 2,000 silver dollars to buy the land and convert it into a mosque.









I have finished introducing the halal food and mosques in the Muslim Quarter. I should also mention Yongxingfang, another food street in Xi'an that became popular on Douyin in the last two years. I went to check it out and only found one halal snack shop. The most famous thing there is the bowl-smashing wine, which I do not recommend. However, many people do not know about Dongxin Street, which is just one subway stop away from the Muslim Quarter. It is a halal food street where Henan Hui Muslims gather in Xi'an. Interested friends can go take a look. The night market on Dongxin Street is quite lively. There are also two mosques for Henan people here: one is called Dongxin Street Mosque and the other is Jianguo Lane Mosque. There are five mosques for Henan people in total in Xi'an.

Dongxin Street









Dongxin Street Mosque







Jianguo Lane Mosque





Accommodation: Lianhuachi Pan Inn



I chose this Lianhuachi Pan Inn based on the recommendation of the elders in the neighborhood. The location is excellent, right at the north entrance of the Muslim Quarter. The area near the north gate is quieter than other entrances. You can walk a few steps and be deep inside the Muslim Quarter. The inn has a place for wudu (small ritual washing) and a prayer room. The environment is beautiful, and the owner and staff are mostly elders from the neighborhood who can provide travel information.







The prayer room on the first floor of the inn is small but has everything you need, including a place for ritual washing and copies of the Quran.



The inn owner also runs a professional travel agency for Muslim tourists that organizes group visits to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. I talked with him and found he is very knowledgeable and has strong faith. During Ramadan, he travels across Shaanxi to hand out Ramadan gift packages. May Allah grant him success in his business and blessings in this life and the next. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This travel note introduces Xi'an Muslim Quarter Halal Food Guide: Hui Muslim Streets and Local Snacks. I went to the Hui Muslim Quarter in Xi'an for a food tour in November 2019. Although I have been to the Hui Muslim Quarter many times, I never get enough of it. It is useful for readers interested in Xi'an Muslim Quarter, Halal Food, Hui Muslims.

I went to the Hui Muslim Quarter in Xi'an for a food tour in November 2019. Although I have been to the Hui Muslim Quarter many times, I never get enough of it. For previous introductions to the ancient mosques in the Hui Muslim Quarter, see 'The Twelve Traditional Mosques of Shaanxi'.

Homestay

This time in Xi'an, I stayed at a homestay run by my good friend Xiao Ma's aunt, and I was very satisfied. The homestay is located in a quiet alley within the bustling Xiaoxuexi Lane in the Hui Muslim Quarter. It is very close to the food hub, but the place itself is very quiet, so I was not disturbed while resting at night.

The house has four floors and is the home of the aunt and uncle. The uncle lives on the first floor to keep watch, the aunt lives on the third floor with her grandson, and the second and fourth floors are used as a homestay. Both are two-bedroom apartments, suitable for families or friends to stay in.

The aunt and uncle are both Hajjis (pilgrims who have completed the Hajj). They went on the Hajj to Mecca together in 2015. They are both very kind, warm, and friendly. They used to run a restaurant, so if you are lucky, you can eat the delicious food made by the aunt herself.







Dingjia Xiaosurou (Ding's crispy fried beef)

Dingjia Xiaosurou at the west entrance of Dapiyuan. I came here to eat it last time. I love Xiaosurou, especially in winter.





Laolijia Zagan Tang (Old Li's mixed offal soup)

For breakfast, I had Laolijia Zagan Tang at Dapiyuan, paired with Shijia Baozi (Shi's steamed buns) from across the street. The Zagan Tang is tender, the ingredients are generous, and the soup is fresh. You have to queue on weekends.







The cumin-flavored filling of Shijia Baozi is rarely seen elsewhere, and it is quite interesting to eat.





Laolijia Mahua Youcha (Old Li's fried dough twist in oil tea)

I had Laolijia Mahua Youcha at Miaohou Street in the morning. Mahua Youcha is especially suitable for early mornings in autumn and winter. The hot oil tea softens the Mahua (fried dough twist), and then it is sprinkled with sesame seeds and hemp leaves. It feels very warm after eating. In addition, the hat the boss wears is in the style of Pakistan in South Asia, and the color is bright and beautiful.







Huajia Wanzi Hulatang (Hua's meatball spicy soup)

I had Huajia Wanzi Hulatang at the north entrance of Daxuexi Lane in the morning. In the Hui Muslim Quarter, besides meatballs and the broth used to boil cured beef and mutton, Wanzi Hulatang must also contain cooked mutton fat. Different from the Hulatang in Henan, the Hulatang in Xi'an also includes stewed vegetables. Any seasonal vegetable that does not fall apart when boiled can be used.







Ma'erli Huanggui Shizi Bing (Ma'erli's osmanthus persimmon cake)

Ma'erli Huanggui Shizi Bing on Sajinqiao Street. Huanggui Shizi Bing, also known as Huojing Shizi Bing (fire-crystal persimmon cake), is made by adding flour to Huojing persimmons from Lintong and wrapping them with a sweet osmanthus sugar filling. It is a specialty snack in Xi'an during autumn and winter. The osmanthus filling can also be replaced with other fillings such as rose or date paste.











Ma Jiguang Cigao Dian (Ma Jiguang's sticky rice cake shop)

I had rose Cigao (sticky rice cake) in Xiaoxuexi Lane. In the past, Cigao in Xi'an was generally sold by Hui Muslims carrying them on shoulder poles along the street, but now it is far less common than Zenggao (steamed sticky rice cake). As far as I know, only this Ma Jiguang Cigao shop sells it exclusively.

Cigao is a sticky rice cake with red bean paste filling. The filling contains small beans, brown sugar, osmanthus sauce, rose sauce, and walnut kernels. After it is made, sesame seeds are sprinkled on top.

Traditionally, there are two ways to eat it: cold or hot. Cold means sprinkling white sugar directly on it after wrapping, and hot means heating it in a pan with rapeseed oil over low heat before eating. We chose to eat it hot, and the aunt finally added honey.







Zhiliang Zhengjiao (Zhiliang's steamed dumplings)

Zhiliang Zhengjiao on Miaohou Street, opened in 1985, is the most famous soup-filled steamed dumpling shop in the Hui Muslim Quarter. The shop's tip is very thoughtful: 'Lift gently, move slowly, open a window (bite a small hole), drink the soup first, then dip in the sauce, one bite is delicious!' Following this way of eating is indeed very delicious, and I couldn't stop eating one after another. Then I also ordered egg Laozao (fermented glutinous rice), but Xiao Ma said their best dish should be the Eight-Treasure Porridge.















Xihulan Ma Zhiyuan Laoniurou Jiamo (Xihulan Ma Zhiyuan's cured beef burger)

There are many cured beef shops in the Hui Muslim Quarter. Some have long queues all year round, but in fact, there are many that don't have queues but are also very delicious. The Xihulan Ma Zhiyuan Laoniurou Jiamo I ate at the Sajinqiao intersection this time was also very delicious. The meat was tender and flavorful, and I wanted to eat more after finishing it.









Yijian Xingyuelou (One Star-Moon Building)

In the evening, I had Yangrou Paomo (mutton pita bread soup) and Shuipen Niurou (water-basin beef soup) at Yijian Xingyuelou on Xushi Temple Street, a restaurant recommended by Xiao Ma. The taste of their food is indeed very authentic, and the accompanying plum juice is also delicious. This shop didn't exist when I went last time. It opened in 2015 and only moved to Xushi Temple Street in 2018. The 'Yijian' in the shop's name comes from 'Yijianlou', a Republic of China-era time-honored Paomo restaurant operated by the uncle of the boss, Peng Zhihe. Yijianlou was originally named Derunfu Mutton Paomo Restaurant, opened in 1927, and moved to the northwest corner of the Drum Tower in 1935. Peng Zhihe learned the craft from his uncle and inherited the Paomo recipe of Yijianlou.



















Hongshunxiang Luzhi Liangfen (Hongshunxiang's jelly noodles in savory sauce)

At night, I ate the Xi'an specialty snack Luzhi Liangfen at the Hongshunxiang Xingyue branch on Miaohou Street. The owner of Hongshunxiang is named Ma Kaichao. His family has been selling Luzhi Liangfen with shoulder poles since his ancestors. Later, his grandfather opened a shop at Nanqiaozikou. After the demolition thirty years ago, they moved to the Hui Muslim Quarter and have been there ever since.

Luzhi Liangfen was originally a summer snack to relieve heat, and the most traditional shops would stop selling it in winter. When eating, you usually break the pita bread into the bowl yourself and hand it to the boss, telling the boss how many Biandan (preserved eggs) or eggs to add. Then the boss scoops the Liangfen (mung bean jelly) from the water basin, cuts it into strips, puts it on the bread, and finally scoops a spoonful of warm savory sauce over the Liangfen. Because we went after dinner, we didn't ask for bread and just ate the Liangfen.

The Liangfen in Luzhi Liangfen is made of pea starch, and the savory sauce is made by boiling eggs and potato or sweet potato starch, with more than 10 ingredients such as cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorn, fennel, amomum, and star anise. Finally, garlic juice, mustard juice, sesame paste, vinegar, sesame oil, and chili oil are added, so the taste is very rich.











Xinhua Tianshi Dian (Xinhua Sweet Shop)

At night, I ate Fenzhengrou (steamed pork with rice flour) and Eight-Treasure Laozao at the Xinhua Sweet Shop at the south entrance of Damaishi Street. The An family, who runs the Xinhua Sweet Shop, started selling sweets more than half a century ago. After the reform and opening up, An Zhihong resumed making sweets on Damaishi Street.

The Fenzhengrou in the Xi'an Hui Muslim Quarter uses lean and fatty mutton sliced and seasoned with five-spice powder and salt. Adding flour must be done in two stages: first, add water and half of the flour, then stir evenly; second, add the remaining half of the flour and stir quickly until the flour adheres to the meat. Finally, just put the meat on a steamer and steam it.









Marui Zhengwan Huicai (Marui's steamed bowl stewed vegetables)

Late at night in the Hui Muslim Quarter, I went to Marui Zhengwan Huicai on Miaohou Street for a late-night snack. The female boss, Ma Rui, had gone to rest, and Ma Rui's husband was busy alone with the steamed bowls and barbecue. I ate Xiaosurou and meatball stewed vegetables. I love Xiaosurou so much! It is beef coated in batter, first fried and then steamed, which is especially suitable for early winter nights. I also really like the plum juice in the Hui Muslim Quarter. I can't help but have a cup at every shop. Compared to it, what is sold in supermarkets can really only be called sugar water.









Street scenes of the Hui Muslim Quarter

Finally, I have attached some street scenes of the Hui Muslim Quarter that I took, day and night. view all