SAVORING SHAANXI

Famous as the historic heartland of the Qin dynasty and for its numerous archeological sites, the Chinese province of Shaanxi is also a food destination in its own right

Shaanxi is located in the northwestern hinterland of China, between the fertile basins of the Yellow and Yangtze rivers. As one of the cradles of Chinese civilization, the province is also an important birthplace of Chinese food culture. From the Loess Plateau (once an important center of the Silk Road) to the picturesque farmland of the Guanzhong Plain and the mountains in the south, Shaanxi is endowed with abundant natural resources that have nurtured its communities—including the ancient capital of Xi’an, one of China’s oldest cities—since ancient times. And a long history of cooking has bestowed the region with a unique and diverse culinary heritage all of its own.

Noodles are a local staple, and come in a wide variety of styles and textures. Some are as slim as chopsticks, others thick like a belt. Minced, splashed with oil, or dipped in sauce, they are all delicious. Biangbiang wheat-flour noodles are perhaps the most famous. Hand-pulled into thick, broad strips, they are usually topped with vegetables and herbs such as Chinese black fungus, Sichuan peppercorns, cumin, and chili. Expect them to be chewy—and highly addictive. Another local creation is liangpi: flat, springy noodles served cold and seasoned with a tangy peanut sauce and typically garnished with slivers of cucumber, bean sprouts, and cilantro.

Yet noodles are but the tip of the culinary iceberg in Shaanxi. Yangrou paomo, a popular dish in Xi’an, is a stew consisting of baked flatbread (mo) that is chopped up and soaked in a fragrant mutton soup. Folktales attribute the invention of the dish to Zhao Kuangyin, the first Song Emperor. Also worth seeking out is roujiamo. Often likened to a Chinese hamburger, this street food snack consists of minced stewed meat—usually pork, but beef is also used—sandwiched in a round of flatbread. (The name literally means “meat-stuffed bread.”)

And just as you can’t visit Xi’an without seeing the famous Terracotta Warriors, nor can you leave town without enjoying a dumpling feast at one of the city’s restaurants or hotels. Traditionally an essential part of celebratory meals such as those prepared for the Spring Festival, there are said to be more than 100 kinds of dumplings (jiaozi) available, all made with different flavors, shapes, and colors and prepared by steaming, boiling, panfrying, deep-frying, or roasting. Diners will have a choice of themed feasts with evocative names like Dragon and Phoenix, Imperial Court, and Eight Treasures. Each might consist of 15 to 20 dumpling styles depending on the number of guests at the table, making for a dazzling dining experience.