Baotou is the manufacturing and industrial center as well as the largest city in Inner Mongolia.

Its characteristicsLocal snacksinclude: Xiao Fei YangHotpotYo Shao Mei, hand-pulled meat, iron potSlow-cooked noodlesSheep offal, roasted whole lamb,Caramelized sugar-coated dishesmilktofuRoasted camel Guiyang Yo,

Dried beefRaisin

Introduction

Dried beef, also known as "air-driedbeef jerky" or "beef jerky".The vast Inner Mongolia grasslands are natural pastures.Abundant water and grass make the cattle and sheep fat. Mongolian herders have a long tradition of air-drying beef.

Historical culture

Tracing back to the history of dried beef, it dates back to when Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire; there is an inseparable relationship between Mongol cavalry and dried beef."The cavalry only drank mare's milk or slaughtered sheep for food."As long as there are water and grass for horses and livestock, Mongols can be self-sufficient.After slaughtering a cow, the 100-odd kilograms of beef dry to just a few pounds, which can be bagged and carried; it can be reconstituted with water at any time.Even if temporarily lacking, hunting can be used as a supplement.During battles, Mongol cavalry relied on horses and livestock for sustenance;This greatly reduced the logistical burden of armies in transit.Dried beef played an important role during long-distance expeditions.Cattle herders have traditionally air-dried beef as a sign of respect for honored guests.It is only prepared and served to esteemed visitors.

Preparation

Beef (from the hind leg, mi-long, large and small cucumber strips) 400 grams. Seasonings: Salt 3 grams, Scallions 20 grams,Ginger10 grams White sugar 20 gramsPeanut oil 1000 grams etc., each in appropriate quantities.1. Remove the tendons from carefully selected beef and slice it into long strips.Place salt, scallions, ginger, sugar, etc., in a small bowl to mix well; marinate the meat.2. After 12 hours, hang the meat on an iron frame in a ventilated area. Depending on regional and seasonal air dryness, it can be used after 1-3 days. In Inner Mongolia, air drying time is less.

3. Remove the strips, cut them into pieces about four to five centimeters long.Place the pan over heat, pour in peanut oil.When heated to four-fifths of its temperature, fry the dried beef for about 3 minutes (do not use too high a temperature), remove and drain off excess oil.Cook until fully done, then serve on a plate.Storage Dried beef can be stored at room temperature in dry, well-ventilated areas. Avoid damp places; refrigerators are particularly unsuitable as they contain moisture that accelerates spoilage.MongolianCheeseIntroduction"Cheese," also known as "," is a very popular dairy product among Mongolians.There are two types: fresh and aged cheese.

Preparation of fresh cheese involves pouring fresh milk into a container, stirring to extract the cream. The pure milk is then placed in a warm area to ferment."When the milk has an acidic taste, it is poured into a pot and cooked until it takes on a tofu-like shape." It is then scooped into cheesecloth and squeezed to remove excess liquid.

The cheese curds are shaped or cut with a knife into blocks. Fresh cheese is thus prepared for storage in bags or containers.

Preparation of aged cheese differs slightly from that of fresh cheese."For aged cheese, the remaining milk after cream extraction or leftover milk from milk skin preparation is left to ferment over several days." When it has formed a soft block, excess liquid is removed through cheesecloth. The cheese curds are then placed in molds or wooden trays and shaped or cut into various forms.

Afterward, place the aged cheese in the sun or well-ventilated area until it hardens completely.

There are many ways to consume cheese; it can be eaten with tea, or like dry food, savoring each bite for its unique flavor.Milk cheeseIntroduction"Milk cheese," known in Mongolian as "," is a common dairy product among Mongolian herders.It is made from milk, sheep's milk, or horse's milk after condensation and fermentation. It resembles ordinary tofu, with a slightly sour or sweet taste and strong milk aroma; herders love it and often eat it in tea or as dry food for long journeys to quench thirst and satisfy hunger.It can also be prepared as caramelized milk cheese, soft and chewy, forming a unique flavor dish on the banquet table."Milk cheese" generally refers to what we usually call cheese. Fully dried milk cheese is called milk cake.Traditional preparation of matured cheese involves fermenting leftover milk after cream extraction or milk skin preparation for several days.

The method for making mature cheese differs slightly from that of fresh cheese.When making mature cheese, first let the fresh milk, left after skimming off the milk skin or after butter extraction, sit for a few days to ferment.Once the yogurt has formed into soft clumps, strain out excess moisture with cheesecloth, place in a pot and slowly cook while stirring. Once it becomes paste-like, scoop it into cheesecloth, squeeze out the liquid, then shape the cheese curds into molds or plates by pressing or cutting them into different shapes.After the cheese is made, place it in the sun or a well-ventilated area to harden and dry.

There are many ways to enjoy cheese. It can be soaked inmilk teabefore eating.

Cheese cake

Introduction

Cheese cake, known in Mongolian as "Hu Nü Da", is a common dairy product among the Mongolian herders.It is made from milk,sheep's milk,or mare's milk after coagulation and fermentation, with a similar shape to tofu. Some have a slightly sour taste while others are slightly sweet, rich in dairy aroma. Herders often enjoy it by soaking it in milk tea or carry it as dry food when traveling, providing both thirst relief and sustenance.It can also be made into caramelized cheese cake, which is soft yet stretchy and serves as a specialty dish on banquets.

Cheese cake usually refers to what we call cheese. It is also known asmilk bread,and completely dried cheese cakes are called milk lumps.The traditional method of making mature cheese can be challenging, but simpler and tastier methods have since been developed.

Methods

Traditional Method for Making Mature Cheese

Let the milk left after skimming off the milk skin or after butter extraction sit for a few days to ferment.Drain off excess water when whey or curdles solidify, using cheesecloth.Then cook the solid part in a pot over low heat, stirring constantly until it reaches the desired consistency, then wrap it in cheesecloth and squeeze out the yellow liquid.At this point, you can shape it into rounds for steaming or place it on a wooden plate and cut it into various shapes with a knife.

Traditional fresh milk tofu preparation

Ferment fresh milk until sour, pour it into a pot to cook, and the whey will turn into solid old tofu.Then squeeze out the water in cheesecloth and mold it.

Mung bean pasteDumplings

Introduction

"Skin String Pulls Stones" dumplings are known for their sour and spicy taste, warming and dispelling cold. They are particularly suitable for people living in cold regions, becoming one of the traditional flavors of Alashan.

You can useporkormutton, mixed withcabbage,radish, and various seasonings. Prepare the dumplings using traditional methods.Then choose bean with abundant starch,lablab beanto make dough.This dough will have elasticity in a boiling pot and become slightly translucent without thickening easily.

When cooking, first add strips of the dough cut into the boiling soup pot. Add boiled dumplings andvermicellifrom another pot simultaneously.Just before serving, season with salt, green onion, vinegar,maggi sauce, oil-soaked chili flakes,monosodium glutamate.

Mongolian buckwheat from Guyang County

Introduction

Glayan buckwheat is a specialty of Guyang, known as guayam in Chinese. It belongs to the species of oat and grows in a natural environment without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. It is rich in nutrition with unique flavor and considered an excellent health food.Glayan oats are an annual herbaceous plant that can withstand cold and drought. They grow on high-altitude, cold regions. The leaves are long and sharp, the flowers light green, and the grains have fine spurs. They can be eaten after processing.Oats contain more protein and fat than any other grain and also provide phosphorus, iron, calcium, vitamins, etc.Mongolian buckwheat flour is made from processed oats, with high quality and delicacy as food products.Guyang buckwheat is the best in Inner Mongolia, renowned for "Glayan buckwheat tops the world".Historical cultureEmperor Kangxi of Qing dynasty once visited Guyang during his campaign against Galdan. He praised its quality highly.

During Emperor Qianlong's reign, guayam was sent to the imperial court as a gift.Generalissimo- visited Inner Mongolia twice and specifically requested to eat Guyang buckwheat. He recalled eating it during his battles in Jinxiangzuo, hearing about its reputation as one of the "three treasures" of Guyang.Those resilient and fine grains supported the revolutionary struggle of the troops in the Jinxiangzuo area. The generalissimo still misses them.Burning Arhat BeadsIntroductionBurning Arhat Beads is a famous dish from Inner Mongolia.It is made by mixing chicken breast meat into a paste, adding egg white and pan-frying it to form meatballs. Then add shiitake mushrooms, water chestnuts, oil vegetables, and carrot slices as side dishes. It has a vibrant color, rich nutrition, tender texture, and excellent taste.

Yihelahao Restaurant in Baotou City is known for this dish.

Mongolian Genghis Khan Iron Plate GrillingIntroductionThis is a grilling method using traditional Mongolian techniques. It's also called the Genghis Khan Hot Pot or "Genghis Khan Iron Plate Grilling".Legend has it that Genghis Khan enjoyed this dish during his campaigns and spread it to Central Asia, Southern Russia, and other regions.It is still popular in countries like Japan today.

Therefore, it is called the "Genghis Khan Iron Plate Grilling".

Cooking method

The origin of the dish dates back to Genghis Khan's time. During a hunting trip, he saw soldiers' meat being charred by the campfire. He came up with the idea of using their iron helmets on the fire and slicing the mutton into thin pieces to grill them.Soldiers followed his method and found it delicious. This dish was passed down through generations until its popularity faded in China.Recently, as cultural exchanges become more frequent, this dish has gained renewed interest.Preparation methodAdd shiitake slices,Chinese cabbage slices,carrot slices as auxiliary ingredients. The dish is colorful, nutritious, tender and flavorful.It is operated by Yihheleu Mansion Restaurant in Baotou City.Inner Mongolia Genghis Khan Iron Plate

Introduction

A way of cooking,

grilled meat, made using the ancient Mongolian traditional roasting method, also known as Genghis Khan Hot Pot. It is colloquially referred to as "Genghis Khan Iron Plate."It is said that Genghis Khan enjoyed this dish during his military campaigns and it was passed on to Central Asia, Southern Russia, and other parts of the world.To this day, it remains popular in countries such as Japan.Therefore, it is called "Genghis Khan Iron Plate."The preparation method for grilled meat is unique, and the serving style is distinctive. The cooking utensils are portable, making it suitable for restaurants, travel, or outdoor dining.History

This dish can be traced back to Genghis Khan's era.

According to legend, when Genghis Khan was camping during a hunt, he noticed that the meat being cooked over the fire had turned black due to smoke.Suddenly, he had an idea. He took a soldier’s iron helmet and placed it on the fire. Using his sword, he cut thin slices of yellow sheep meat and baked them on the "pot," making outer parts crispy and inner parts tender.The soldiers followed this method too, and found the meat to be very delicious.This was the prototype for Genghis Khan's grilled meat dish.Later, during the Mongol army’s western expeditions, this way of cooking spread to Europe, Southeast Asia, and Japan, becoming popular worldwide.Unfortunately, it did not become widespread in China and eventually disappeared.Only recently, with increased cultural exchanges between countries, has it gained popularity again in China.

Methods

Select mutton as the main ingredient, or use beef, pork, chicken, fish, or shrimp meat instead, cut into thin slices to be cooked over an iron plate by the diners and served with prepared condiments.SesameSauceChili,Mustard Greens,Together with scallions, ginger paste, garlic paste, soy sauce from fermented shrimp, etc., to make the dipping sauce.

Meat tastes fresh and delicious, unique in its own way.

Description of Dajie Su

Dajie Su is a traditional snack from Inner Mongolia.Pastry"Dajie" as its name suggests refers to its method of preparation. It's straightforward and simple, reflecting the honest nature of the working class.

To make this pastry, first mix the dough well, spread on sugar oil paste evenly, roll into a strip, cut into 4mm thick slices (about 18-20 per pound), place in a baking dish and cook until golden brown.From an appearance perspective, it looks like the clouds on ancient buildings of Hohhot or the cloud patterns on Mongolian clothing.It has distinct ethnic design features.The preparation of Dajie Su is simple but intricate with detailed craftsmanship.

Cultural and Historical Background

Originally, Dajie Su was served as a tea snack.Pastoral Mongolians would always have some snacks ready when drinking tea. "Dajie" became an essential part of their daily tea breaks or at teahouses.According to legend: Before becoming the Empress, Cixi enjoyed this Dajie Su very much during her stay in Hohhot with her father.After becoming the empress, whenever she reminisced about those days, she would order the imperial kitchen to make it but none could match the taste of the original Dajie Su.Milk and Cream Sweetened Fudge

Introduction

A famous Inner Mongolian delicacy.Primarily made from milk fudge.Cut the milk fudge into strips, coat with flour, dip in a batter of egg whites, starch, and flour, then fry until golden yellow.In a pan, cook sugar to make syrup; pour over fried milk fudge and sprinkle sesame seeds for garnish before serving.This dish has a golden color, sweet taste, and long-lasting strings. It is an excellent choice for banquets.PreparationIngredients: Milk fudge, sugar, flour, egg whites.Steps: 1) Coat the milk fudge with batter before frying in hot oil until golden yellow.

2) In a pan, cook sugar to make syrup; when it turns light brown and bubbles increase, remove from heat.

3) Pour the hot syrup over fried milk fudge, mix well, then serve.

The ratio of sugar to fudge is 1/3 by volume.Roasted Camel HoofIntroductionCamel hooves are a specialty from Inner Mongolia. They taste very good and can strengthen bones and muscles.Together with bok choy, it's a balanced dish that is neither too rich nor greasy, suitable as a winter tonic.The color of this dish is light white; not oily or greasy, the meat is tender and flavorful, high in nutritional value.Camel hooves are from camels raised in Inner Mongolia’s desert grasslands. They are large with strong muscles, especially their humps and hooves which can be used for delicious dishes.

The meat of a camel's hump is delicate and rich, considered one of the finest delicacies. The taste of the hooves is also very good, helping to strengthen bones and muscles.

"Roasted Camel Hoof" served with bok choy is both meaty and vegetable-based; not too greasy and is an excellent winter tonic.

Historical BackgroundCamel hooves, like bear paws, are exquisite delicacies.Since the Han Dynasty, "camel hoof soup" has been a famous imperial dish.According to The Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica) from the Ming dynasty: "The front foot meat and hump of domestic camels are particularly refined and often cooked and served with wine."In regions like Ningxia and Gansu, people also enjoy camel hooves."Roasted Camel Hoof" uses a combination of camel hooves and chicken or duck for steaming or braising.The finished dish has deep red color. The meat is tender and soft, with rich flavors.

Preparation

Camel hoofs are the heart part of the front foot. A single hoof weighs about 2 kg, while only 50 grams can be used for this dish - truly a choice cut.

"Roasted Camel Hoof" mainly features front hooves and mushrooms as side ingredients, resulting in a white and tender meat with rich flavors.The dish is light, not oily or greasy; the meat is soft and tasty, very nutritious.Sweet and Sour Camel HumpIntroduction"Roasted Camel Hump" primarily uses camel hump meat as its main ingredient. Accompanied by eggs, starch, flour, sugar, vinegar, salt, ginger water, oil, scallions, garlic, and broth for cooking.

Preparation:1) Coat the camel hump with batter before frying in hot oil until golden yellow.2) In a pan, cook sugar to make syrup. Stir continuously until it turns light brown and bubbles increase, then remove from heat.3) Pour the hot syrup over fried humps, mix well to coat the meat.A record mentionstwenty pairs of bear paws",

"braised camel paw" originally referred to "braised bear paw," but as bears are a protected species, this dish uses camel's feet instead. While not as delicious as bear paw, it is uniquely flavored after cooking and highly appreciated by gourmet diners.

HistoryCamel's feet or hooves are considered precious delicacies.According to historical records,"camel hoof soup" became a well-known imperial dish during various dynasties.In the Ming Dynasty, it was recorded in "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Camel's feet and heads are most exquisite; people often cook them and eat them with wine."People in Ningxia and Gansu regions also enjoy eating camel hooves.Braised camel paw uses camel's feet, chicken, duck,steamedor braised.The finished dish is deep red. Camel feet are tender and chewy with rich flavors.

Methods

For braising camel paws, take the inner part of a camel’s foot, which weighs about two kilograms, but only around 50 grams can be used for this dish.The characteristic of this dish is its white color. It uses the front hooves of the camel as the main ingredient and shiitake mushrooms as auxiliary ingredients.This dish has a light color, is not greasy or fatty, with tender meat and delicious taste, and high nutritional value.Sweet and sour camel hump is made primarily from camel's hump, with eggs, starch, flour as auxiliary ingredients,along with sugar, vinegar,salt, ginger water, cooking oil, scallions, garlic, and broth.Wait until it is cooked.