Urumqi's cuisine is rich in Western Xinjiang flavors. Dishes such as roasted lamb skewers, whole roasted lamb, crispy lamb leg, roasted lamb leg, and lamb, along with uniquely prepared dishes like pilaf and hand-pulled lamb, are favorites among ethnic minorities. Traditional foods include naan, baked buns, fried dough twists, fried dough towers, thin-skinned buns, hand-pulled noodles, and milk tea. Traditional drinks include mare's milk wine. Other snacks include rice sausage, lung noodles, naren, liangpi (cold skin noodles), parmudin, and ququ (a type of fried dough).
Naan is a staple food of the Uyghur people. Like steamed buns in northern China, rice in southern China, and bread in the West, it is an indispensable part of their daily diet.
The word "naan" originates from Persian and is popular in the Arabian Peninsula, Turkey, and Central Asian countries. Currently, there are dozens of varieties of naan, including oil naan, corn naan, sesame naan, meat naan, and flat naan, depending on the fillings. Different types of naan are eaten on different occasions. Wowo naan, flat naan, and oil naan are common everyday foods, while there are also meat naan and baked naan with fillings.
Roasted Whole Lamb
Roasted whole lamb is a Xinjiang dish, with a bright yellow color, crispy skin, and tender meat. A plump sheep around two years old is selected, slaughtered, skinned, and cleaned. First, fine salt is rubbed inside and out, then a seasoning made from eggs, ginger, scallions, pepper, cumin, etc., is applied to the lamb. The whole lamb is then placed in a hot tandoor oven and roasted for about an hour before serving. If roasted whole lamb is served at a high-class banquet, the cook will tie a red ribbon around the lamb's head, place a bunch of coriander or celery in its mouth, and then present it to the guests, who will slice it with a knife to enjoy.
Pilaf
Pilaf, called "Bola" in Uyghur, is one of Xinjiang's traditional foods. There are more than 10 varieties of pilaf, including mutton pilaf, chicken pilaf, and vegetarian pilaf, with mutton being the most common. Pilaf is served to guests during festivals, weddings, and funerals.
Mare's Milk Wine, also known as "Kemz" or "Kumuz," is a natural beverage from Xinjiang. It is a favorite drink of the Kazakh, Mongolian, Kyrgyz, and Uzbek ethnic minorities. Made from fermented mare's milk, it is a traditional and prized beverage brewed by Xinjiang herders and contains a small amount of alcohol. Mare's Milk Wine contains various beneficial components such as sugars, proteins, fats, and vitamins, especially vitamin C. It also contains amino acids, lactic acid, enzymes, minerals, aromatic substances, and trace amounts of alcohol.