Difference between revisions of "Gansu Food"

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|title=Gansu Food (Gansu / Long Cuisine 陇菜) - Chinese Food Wiki
|title=Gansu Food (Gansu / Long Cuisine 陇菜) - Chinese Food Wiki
|keywords=Gansu Food,Gansu cuisine,Longcai,陇菜,Lanzhou Beef Noodles,兰州牛肉面,Silk Road food
|keywords=Gansu Food,Gansu cuisine,Longcai,陇菜,Lanzhou Beef Noodles,兰州牛肉面,Silk Road food
|description=Gansu Food, or Longcai (陇菜), draws on Silk Road ingredients and Dunhuang culture, combining halal cuisine, Longyuan home cooking and snacks such as Lanzhou beef noodles.
|description=Explore Gansu food by city and prefecture, including Long cuisine, Lanzhou beef noodles, mutton, street snacks, wheat foods, tea and regional products.
}}
}}


[[File:Gansu Food.jpg|frameless|center|Gansu Food]]
{{Breadcrumb|parent=Chinese Food Map}}


== Introduction ==
{{Infobox food region
| name          = Gansu Food
| simplified    = 甘肃美食
| traditional  = 甘肅美食
| pinyin        = Gānsù měishí
| image        = Gansu Food.jpg
| caption      = Foods associated with Gansu and the historic Silk Road corridor
| level        = Province
| parent        = [[Chinese Food Map|China]]
| capital      = Lanzhou
| cuisine      = Long cuisine (陇菜)
| last_verified = 2026-09-26
| dishes        = [[Lanzhou Beef Noodles]], Jingyuan lamb, Dongxiang hand-grab mutton, Dunhuang donkey-meat yellow noodles
| snacks        = Tianshui guagua, niangpi, sweet fermented grains, Shazhou paste pot
| ingredients  = wheat, lamb, beef, potatoes, buckwheat, lily bulbs, peppercorns
| drinks        = butter tea, sweet fermented-grain drink, Longnan green tea
| alcohol      = Hexi grape wine, regional baijiu and grain spirits
| heritage      = Lanzhou beef-noodle making is a national intangible cultural heritage representative project<ref name="beef-noodle-ich" />
| subdivisions  = Lanzhou, Jiayuguan, Jinchang, Baiyin, Tianshui, Wuwei, Zhangye, Pingliang, Jiuquan, Qingyang, Dingxi, Longnan, Linxia, Gannan
| related      = [[Qinghai Food]], [[Ningxia Food]], [[Shaanxi Food]], [[Sichuan Food]], [[Xinjiang Food]]
}}


With Gansu culture, Dunhuang art as the background, Gansu cuisine (or Longcai in Chinese) is based on main ingredients along the Silk Road. It combines the "halal cuisine, Longyuan regional home food, snacks" and the fine recipes of the other major cuisines, and on the basis of inheriting the traditional specialties, it learns and sorts out a unique food system that adapts to the local diet customs and habits, forming a unique cuisine system. Gansu cuisine has a long history and profound cultural background, and is a magic flower with local characteristics and national customs blooming in the Chinese culinary art garden.
'''Gansu Food''' is the umbrella for the food traditions of Gansu Province. It includes Lanzhou and central Gansu wheat foods, Hexi Corridor noodles and roast meats, eastern Gansu grain and livestock dishes, Longnan mountain produce, Linxia Hui food and Gannan Tibetan pastoral foods. Long cuisine (陇菜) is a modern organizing term for these related but distinct traditions.


The province's long east–west geography connects the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River valley, the Hexi Corridor, Tibetan Plateau margins and the Qinba mountain region. Wheat, beef, mutton, potatoes, buckwheat, highland grains, dairy foods, fruit and local vegetables therefore appear in different combinations across the province.<ref name="hexi-corridor" /><ref name="agriculture-plan" />


== Characteristics ==
{{Food hub cards
 
|link1=#Long cuisine and regional traditions|label1=Long cuisine|desc1=Regional food traditions and shared ingredients
The ingredients of [[Qinghai Food|Qinghai cuisine]] are organically green, nutritious, pollution-free, strong antioxidant, and long sunshine time. It is especially featured by five spices (bitter beans, badian, mustard, cumin, garlic) and five flavors (sour & spicy, salty & fresh, bitter, five spices, hot & spicy). It is dominated by the original ecological ingredients, so it is unique among the major schools of Chinese cuisines and adapts to all people.
|link2=#Gansu Food by City and Prefecture|label2=Cities and prefectures|desc2=Specialties from all 14 divisions
 
|link3=#Representative dishes|label3=Representative dishes|desc3=Noodles, lamb, banquet and local dishes
 
|link4=#Street foods and snacks|label4=Street foods|desc4=Niangpi, guagua and market snacks
 
|link5=#Noodles and staple foods|label5=Noodles and staples|desc5=Hand-pulled, cut and shaped wheat foods
== Lanzhou Noodles (lanzhou lamian) ==
|link6=#Tea and non-alcoholic drinks|label6=Tea and drinks|desc6=Butter tea, grain drinks and Longnan tea
 
|link7=#Alcohol|label7=Alcohol|desc7=Wine, baijiu and regional grain traditions
[[Lanzhou Beef Noodles|Lanzhou Noodles]] (lanzhou lamian, 兰州拉面). In Lanzhou, it is called "beef noodles". The process of making beef noodles takes about three minutes, so beef noodles are very popular as a fast food breakfast in Lanzhou.
|link8=#Ingredients and condiments|label8=Ingredients|desc8=Potatoes, lily bulbs, peppercorns and grains
 
}}
 
== Snow Mountain Camel Palm ==
 
Snow Mountain Camel Palm(雪山驼掌), also known as Silk Road Camel Palm, is the most fascinating dish of Gansu cuisine.


== Food geography ==


== Agate Sea Cucumber ==
Gansu food is best understood through several broad landscapes. These groupings overlap, and county traditions may differ within the same city or prefecture.


Agate Sea Cucumber(玛瑙海参). The dish is named after agate, metaphorically elegant and beautiful, rare and precious. Agate Sea Cucumber has an agate color and smooth-taste, tasting purely mellow, is a traditional famous dish of Gansu cuisine.
* '''Lanzhou and central Gansu:''' beef noodles, wheat foods, sweet fermented grains, niangpi, lamb and Yellow River valley produce.
* '''Hexi Corridor:''' Wuwei, Jinchang, Zhangye, Jiayuguan and Jiuquan, with wheat noodles, roast meat, lamb, beef, dairy products, fruit and oasis agriculture. The modern Hexi Corridor is commonly defined through these five cities.<ref name="hexi-corridor" />
* '''Eastern Gansu:''' Tianshui, Pingliang and Qingyang, where wheat, buckwheat, millet, apples, beef, chicken and fermented sour soup appear in local dishes.
* '''Dingxi and Longnan:''' potatoes, wheat, cured meat, peppercorns, olive oil and mountain products. Longnan is also Gansu's principal tea-growing area.<ref name="longnan-tea" />
* '''Linxia and Gannan:''' halal beef and mutton traditions in Linxia and Tibetan pastoral foods in Gannan, including hand-grab mutton, yak products, butter tea and filled dumplings.


== Gansu Food by City and Prefecture ==


== Lanzhou Roast Suckling Pig ==
The directory covers Gansu's 12 prefecture-level cities and two autonomous prefectures. The examples preserve city and county associations and are not exhaustive.


Lanzhou Roast Suckling Pig(兰州烤乳猪). Roast Suckling Pig has a golden brown color, crisp skin and tender meat, fat but not greasy, tastes extraordinarily delicious.
=== Lanzhou ===


* [[Lanzhou Beef Noodles]] (兰州牛肉面), sweet fermented grains (甜醅子), niangpi / cold starch noodles (酿皮子), gray-bean sweet soup (灰豆子) and hot winter fruit (热冬果).
* Lanzhou beef-noodle making centers on the city and radiates into surrounding areas; the craft is listed as a national intangible cultural heritage representative project.<ref name="beef-noodle-ich" /><ref name="heritage-events" />


== Goldfish Nostoc (Steamed Meat with Nostoc in the Shape of Goldfish) ==
=== Jiayuguan ===


* Jiayuguan grilled meat, lamb skewers, roast lamb and Hexi noodle dishes.
* The city shares ingredients and market-food traditions with neighboring Jiuquan and the wider Hexi Corridor.<ref name="hexi-corridor" />


Goldfish Nostoc(金鱼发菜) is a top-grade dish with the famous nostoc in Gansu. It is so named for the dish is in the shape of goldfish. The best cooking of Goldfish Nostoc is from Qingyang Road, Lanzhou City.
=== Jinchang ===


* Mutton with rolled dough sheets (羊肉垫卷子), lamb dishes, wheat foods and oasis-grown produce.


== Tianshui Pickled Celery Soup Noodles ==
=== Baiyin ===


Tianshui Pickled Celery Soup Noodles(天水浆水面). It is a popular cool noodles and main food in summer. The cool and sour taste can relieve the summer heat. It is made by pouring pickled celery soup on the hand-made noodles.
* Jingyuan lamb (靖远羊羔肉), sour-braised meat (酸烂肉) and yiwosi / fine-thread pancake (一窝丝).
* Lamb traditions connect Baiyin with central Gansu's halal and pastoral foodways.


=== Tianshui ===


== Lamb Mutton ==
* Tianshui guagua (天水呱呱), jiangshui noodles (浆水面), crisp dough rings and Tianshui malatang.
* Sour fermented vegetable broth, chile, wheat and buckwheat are recurring elements in local snack foods.<ref name="gansu-showcase" />


=== Wuwei ===


Lamb Mutton (羊羔肉). A kind of Hui food; it is made of the famous Jingyuan lamb as the main ingredient, supplemented by dried chili, sweet potato noodles and kind of vegetables, stewing them done.
* Wuwei “three-piece cart” breakfast (三套车), Wuwei mianpi and lamb dishes.
* The meal conventionally combines a drink, a wheat or noodle component and cooked meat, reflecting Hexi market and travel foodways.


== Others Food ==
=== Zhangye ===


Northwest Sweet Distillers' Grains 西北甜胚子
* Paozhang noodles (炮仗面), beef “small rice” (牛肉小饭), cut noodles and local lamb or beef dishes.
* Zhangye's oasis agriculture and multiethnic population contribute grain, livestock and dairy ingredients.<ref name="city-background" />


=== Pingliang ===


Longnan Zanthoxylum Bungeanum Buds 陇南花椒芽
* Jingning roast chicken (静宁烧鸡), Pingliang guokui and beef dishes associated with the Longdong uplands.
* The region is also connected with Pingliang red cattle and apple production.<ref name="agriculture-plan" />


=== Jiuquan ===


Buckwheat & Vegetable Roll 荞麦蔬菜卷
* Shazhou paste pot (糊锅), Dunhuang donkey-meat yellow noodles (驴肉黄面), lamb, roast meat and oasis fruit.
* Dunhuang food is included here as a county-level tradition within Jiuquan.


=== Qingyang ===


Red Plum & Lily 红梅百合
* Longdong earthen hot pot (土暖锅), buckwheat hele noodles (荞麦饸饹), millet foods and lamb or beef dishes.
* Apples, grains and livestock are major parts of the eastern Gansu food economy.<ref name="agriculture-plan" />


=== Dingxi ===


Dunhuang Fotiaoqiang (Buddha Jumps Over the Wall) 敦煌佛跳墙
* Longxi cured pork (陇西腊肉), potato noodles, potato jiaotuan and local pastries.
* Dingxi's potato industry produces starch, vermicelli, flour and other processed foods as well as fresh potatoes.<ref name="gansu-products" />


=== Longnan ===


* Potato jiaotuan (洋芋搅团), oil-flour tea, Wudu peppercorn foods, mountain vegetables and olive-oil products.
* Longnan green tea is grown in the Wenxian–Wudu–Kangxian area, the province's principal tea region.<ref name="longnan-tea" />


== Snacks ==
=== Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture ===


=== Lanzhou 兰州 ===
* Dongxiang hand-grab mutton (东乡手抓), Hexian noodle pieces (河沿面片), beef and mutton soups, stuffed breads and fried pastries.
* The prefecture's Hui, Dongxiang, Bao'an, Salar and other communities contribute distinct halal food practices.<ref name="city-background" />


Lanzhou Beef noodle 兰州牛肉面
=== Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture ===


Sweet distillers' grains 甜胚子
* Butter tea, Tibetan filled dumplings (藏包), tsampa, yak meat and dairy foods.
* Pastoral and highland grain traditions distinguish Gannan from lower-elevation wheat-growing areas.


Cold starch noodles 酿皮子
== Long cuisine and regional traditions ==


Gray beans 灰豆子
'''Long cuisine (陇菜)''' is used for the province's restaurant dishes, home cooking, halal food, ethnic minority foodways and local snacks. Provincial policy documents support codifying classic Long dishes while also preserving local and ethnic foods.<ref name="long-cuisine-policy" /><ref name="culture-plan" />


Steamed frozen pears (with dates, rock sugar and dried tangerine) 热冬果
=== Shared features ===


* Wheat noodles and breads in many cities and counties
* Beef and mutton in halal, pastoral and restaurant traditions
* Potatoes, buckwheat, millet and barley in highland or dryland areas
* Sour fermented vegetable broth, chile, garlic, cumin and vinegar in many local snacks
* Oasis fruit, dairy foods and roast meat in the Hexi Corridor
* Mountain produce, peppercorns, tea and olive oil in Longnan


=== Baiyin 白银 ===
These features do not form a single standard flavor. Lanzhou noodle shops, Linxia halal cooking, Dunhuang market foods, Longdong grain dishes and Gannan Tibetan foods retain distinct social and religious contexts.


Jingyuan lamb mutton 靖远羊羔肉
== Representative dishes ==


Sour meat 酸烂肉
* '''[[Lanzhou Beef Noodles]]''' (兰州牛肉面) — hand-pulled noodles served with beef broth, sliced beef, radish, herbs and chile oil; local shops commonly call the dish “beef noodles.”<ref name="beef-noodle-ich" />
* '''Jingyuan lamb''' (靖远羊羔肉) — a Baiyin-area lamb dish with chile and other seasonings.
* '''Dongxiang hand-grab mutton''' (东乡手抓) — boiled or simmered mutton served in pieces, associated with Linxia and Dongxiang food traditions.
* '''Dunhuang donkey-meat yellow noodles''' (驴肉黄面) — thin yellow noodles paired with cooked donkey meat and sauce.
* '''Wuwei three-piece cart''' (武威三套车) — a combined meal associated with Wuwei market and breakfast culture.
* '''Jingning roast chicken''' (静宁烧鸡) — a braised poultry specialty from Pingliang.
* '''Longxi cured pork''' (陇西腊肉) — cured pork associated with Dingxi's Longxi County.
* '''Tianshui jiangshui noodles''' (天水浆水面) — noodles served with a tart fermented vegetable broth.
* '''Gannan Tibetan dumplings''' (藏包) — filled dumplings associated with Tibetan pastoral foodways.


Yi Wo Si (golden threaded pancake) 一窝丝
== Street foods and snacks ==


=== Lanzhou and central Gansu ===


=== Dingxi 定西 ===
* Beef noodles, niangpi, sweet fermented grains, gray-bean soup and hot winter fruit
* Lamb skewers, stuffed flatbreads and fried pastries


Longxi bacon 陇西腊肉
=== Eastern and southern Gansu ===


Crisp food 酥食
* Tianshui guagua, jiangshui noodles and malatang
* Pingliang guokui and Jingning roast chicken
* Qingyang buckwheat hele noodles
* Dingxi potato noodles and potato jiaotuan
* Longnan oil-flour tea


=== Hexi Corridor ===


* Wuwei mianpi and three-piece cart
* Zhangye paozhang noodles and beef small rice
* Jiayuguan grilled meat
* Jiuquan paste pot and Dunhuang yellow noodles


=== Tianshui 天水 ===  
=== Autonomous prefectures ===


Gua Gua (buckwheat starch pieces) 呱呱
* Linxia hand-grab mutton and Hexian noodle pieces
* Gannan butter tea, tsampa and Tibetan filled dumplings


pickled celery soup noodles 浆水面
== Noodles and staple foods ==


crisp doughnuts 酥圈圈
Gansu has a large directory of hand-pulled, cut, rolled, pinched and starch-set foods. Names often refer to their shape or preparation.


=== Wheat noodles ===


* Lanzhou hand-pulled beef noodles
* Tianshui jiangshui noodles
* Linxia Hexian noodle pieces
* Zhangye paozhang noodles and beef small rice
* Dunhuang yellow noodles
* Qingyang hele noodles


=== Longnan 陇南 ===
=== Starch and grain foods ===


potato jelly 洋芋搅团
* Tianshui guagua, made from buckwheat or other starches
* Niangpi, a cold starch or wheat-noodle snack
* Dingxi potato noodles and potato jiaotuan
* Gannan tsampa and highland barley foods
* Millet and buckwheat foods in Longdong


Butter-fried flour tea 油面茶
Lanzhou beef-noodle making includes dough mixing, resting, repeated stretching, broth preparation and the assembly of noodles with meat and garnishes.<ref name="beef-noodle-ich" />


== Meat, halal and pastoral foods ==


Beef and mutton are central to many Gansu traditions, but their preparation differs by place and community.


=== Wuwei 武威 ===
* Lanzhou beef broth and halal noodle shops
* Jingyuan lamb in Baiyin
* Dongxiang hand-grab mutton and halal banquet dishes in Linxia
* Roast lamb and skewers across the Hexi Corridor
* Yak meat and dairy products in Gannan
* Pingliang and Qingyang beef production in eastern Gansu<ref name="agriculture-plan" />


Troika 三套车
Food descriptions should preserve halal and ethnic context where relevant rather than treating all beef and mutton dishes as interchangeable.


Wuwei gluten noodles 武威面皮
== Tea and non-alcoholic drinks ==


* '''Longnan green tea:''' grown in the province's southeastern mountain area and connected historically with routes between agricultural and pastoral regions.<ref name="longnan-tea" />
* '''Butter tea:''' part of Tibetan foodways in Gannan.
* '''Sweet fermented grains (甜醅):''' eaten or drunk as a lightly fermented grain refreshment in Lanzhou and elsewhere.
* '''Hot winter fruit (热冬果):''' a warm pear-based drink or dessert associated with Lanzhou.
* '''Three-bubble tea (三泡台):''' tea served with sugar, dried fruit and other additions in Hui and northwestern hospitality traditions.
* '''Buckwheat and herbal drinks:''' included among modern Gansu tourism products.<ref name="tourism-products" />


== Alcohol ==


=== Jinchang 金昌 ===
Gansu alcohol traditions reflect grain-growing areas, oasis viticulture and local brands.


Mutton padded rolls 羊肉垫卷子
* Grape wine from the Hexi Corridor
* Baijiu and grain spirits associated with Wuwei, Jiuquan, Zhangye and other producing areas
* Highland barley and grain-based drinks in pastoral regions
* Household fermented grain drinks used in local festivals and meals


Modern provincial product programs include wine, baijiu and other processed agricultural products, while brand examples should be treated as commercial producers rather than as definitions of regional cuisine.<ref name="gansu-products" /><ref name="gansu-specialties" />


=== Zhangye 张掖 ===
== Ingredients and condiments ==


The “firecrackers” 炮仗
=== Staple and livestock ingredients ===


Square-shape noodles with beef 牛肉小饭
* Wheat flour, potatoes, buckwheat, millet and highland barley
* Beef, mutton, yak meat and dairy products
* Oasis fruit, apples, pears, grapes and melons


=== Produce and seasonings ===


* Lanzhou lily bulbs
* Wudu peppercorns and peppercorn shoots
* Longnan olive oil and mountain vegetables
* Chile, garlic, cumin, vinegar and fermented sour broth
* Mushrooms and plateau-grown vegetables


=== Jiuquan 酒泉 ===
The “Gansu Flavour” agricultural program includes potatoes, beef, highland dairy and other regionally branded products; provincial tourism selections also include olive oil, peppercorn products, buckwheat tea, lily bulbs and fruit drinks.<ref name="gansu-products" /><ref name="tourism-products" />


Paste pot 糊锅
== Cooking techniques and food heritage ==


=== Noodle and staple techniques ===


* Hand-pulling and repeated stretching for Lanzhou beef noodles
* Cutting, rolling and pinching dough into regional noodle shapes
* Fermenting vegetable broth for jiangshui noodles
* Setting and slicing starch sheets for niangpi and guagua
* Pounding and stirring potatoes into jiaotuan


=== Dunhuang 敦煌 ===
=== Meat and preservation techniques ===


Donkey meat yellow noodles 驴肉黄面
* Simmering beef or mutton for clear broths
* Hand-grab mutton preparation and service
* Roasting meat over charcoal in Hexi markets
* Curing pork in Longxi
* Drying grains, fruit and vegetables for winter use


Lanzhou beef-noodle making is formally listed within the national intangible cultural heritage representative project “Traditional noodle-making techniques.”<ref name="beef-noodle-ich" /> Provincial heritage events have also highlighted the craft within Gansu's food-related intangible heritage.<ref name="heritage-events" />


== Food brands and regional products ==


=== Pingliang 平凉 ===
This section distinguishes regional public brands, historic producers and commercial companies from the foods themselves.


Jingning roast chicken 静宁烧鸡
* '''Lanzhou beef-noodle shops and training systems:''' businesses and craft schools connected with the city's noodle trade.
 
* '''Gansu Flavour (甘味):''' a provincial agricultural public-brand program covering many regional products.<ref name="gansu-products" />
Guo Kui (crusty pancake) 锅盔
* '''Lanzhou lily and Longnan olive oil:''' two products promoted through regional origin and agricultural branding.<ref name="gansu-specialties" />
 
* '''Wudu peppercorn, Dingxi potato and Pingliang beef:''' ingredient industries tied to particular production areas.<ref name="gansu-products" />
 
* '''Hexi wine and baijiu producers:''' commercial makers connected with oasis agriculture and grain production.
=== Qingyang 庆阳 ===
* '''Linxia food businesses:''' producers and restaurants associated with hand-grab mutton, beef and halal foods.
 
Local hot pot 土暖锅
 
Buckwheat noodles 饸饹面
 
 
 
=== Linxia 临夏 ===
 
Dongxiang mutton eaten with hands 东乡手抓
 
Riverside square-shape noodles 河沿面片
 
 
 
=== Jiayuguan 嘉峪关 ===
 
嘉峪关烤肉 Jiayuguan BBQ
 
 
 
=== Gannan甘南 ===
 
Butter tea酥油茶
 
Tibetan twisted dumpling 藏包
 
 
For further reading, see the English Wikipedia overview.<ref name="wp">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gansu_cuisine English Wikipedia]</ref>


== See also ==
== See also ==


* [[Chinese Food Map]]
* [[Lanzhou Beef Noodles]]
* [[Qinghai Food]]
* [[Qinghai Food]]
* [[Ningxia Food]]
* [[Ningxia Food]]
Line 201: Line 295:
* [[Sichuan Food]]
* [[Sichuan Food]]
* [[Xinjiang Food]]
* [[Xinjiang Food]]
* [[Chinese Food Map]]
* [[Chinese Snack]]
* [[Chong Qing Hot Pot]]
* [[Lanzhou Beef Noodles]]


== References ==
== References ==
<references>
<ref name="beef-noodle-ich">[https://www.ihchina.cn/project_details/23794.html Traditional noodle-making techniques: Lanzhou beef-noodle making], China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum.</ref>
<ref name="heritage-events">[https://www.ihchina.cn/art/detail/id/25590.html Gansu intangible cultural heritage activities in 2022], China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum.</ref>
<ref name="long-cuisine-policy">[https://gxhz.gansu.gov.cn/gxhz/c109402/202305/169847937.shtml Measures to support key service industries and promote consumption], Gansu Provincial People's Government.</ref>
<ref name="culture-plan">[https://mzsw.gansu.gov.cn/mzsw/c117481/202508/174196811.shtml Gansu cultural inheritance and tourism development plan], Gansu Provincial People's Government.</ref>
<ref name="gansu-showcase">[https://ydyl.gansu.gov.cn/gsydyl/gjjl/cxsl/202505/t20250520_27610.html Gansu cultural products and foods at the Shenzhen cultural fair], Gansu Belt and Road Portal.</ref>
<ref name="agriculture-plan">[https://zwfw.gansu.gov.cn/wuwei/ztfw/xmtzfwzq/cyzc/art/2025/art_fb266451714d4f73950a4d8c486178ed.html Action plan for Gansu's modern cold-arid specialty agriculture], Gansu Provincial People's Government.</ref>
<ref name="gansu-products">[https://ydyl.gansu.gov.cn/gsydyl/jmhz/kfpt/202512/t20251208_32220.html Development of Gansu Flavour regional products], Gansu Belt and Road Portal.</ref>
<ref name="tourism-products">[https://ydyl.gansu.gov.cn/gsydyl/gjjl/202210/t20221025_14211.html Selected Gansu Flavour tourism products], Gansu Belt and Road Portal.</ref>
<ref name="gansu-specialties">[https://ydyl.gansu.gov.cn/gsydyl/spgs/tctj/202604/t20260414_35411.html Gansu regional specialties], Gansu Belt and Road Portal.</ref>
<ref name="longnan-tea">[https://ydyl.gansu.gov.cn/gsydyl/spgs/tctj/202407/t20240730_21634.html Longnan green tea and Gansu's tea-growing area], Gansu Belt and Road Portal.</ref>
<ref name="hexi-corridor">[https://ydyl.gansu.gov.cn/gsydyl/spgs/slgsrdzt/hxzl/ Gansu Hexi Corridor overview], Gansu Belt and Road Portal.</ref>
<ref name="city-background">[https://zwfw.gansu.gov.cn/lanzhou/tsfw/zsyzfwzq/index.html Gansu city and prefecture profiles], Gansu Government Service Portal.</ref>
</references>


{{reflist}}
[[Category:Gansu cuisine]]
[[Category:Chinese regional cuisine]]
[[Category:Chinese food by province]]

Latest revision as of 13:09, 26 September 2026


Gansu Food
甘肃美食 / 甘肅美食
Gānsù měishí
Gansu Food.jpg
Foods associated with Gansu and the historic Silk Road corridor
Level Province
Parent area China
Capital / seat Lanzhou
Cuisine Long cuisine (陇菜)
Last verified 2026-09-26
Foods
Representative dishes Lanzhou Beef Noodles, Jingyuan lamb, Dongxiang hand-grab mutton, Dunhuang donkey-meat yellow noodles
Snacks Tianshui guagua, niangpi, sweet fermented grains, Shazhou paste pot
Ingredients and drinks
Condiments and ingredients wheat, lamb, beef, potatoes, buckwheat, lily bulbs, peppercorns
Tea and drinks butter tea, sweet fermented-grain drink, Longnan green tea
Alcohol Hexi grape wine, regional baijiu and grain spirits
Recognition
Intangible heritage Lanzhou beef-noodle making is a national intangible cultural heritage representative project[1]
Places
Subdivisions Lanzhou, Jiayuguan, Jinchang, Baiyin, Tianshui, Wuwei, Zhangye, Pingliang, Jiuquan, Qingyang, Dingxi, Longnan, Linxia, Gannan
Related places Qinghai Food, Ningxia Food, Shaanxi Food, Sichuan Food, Xinjiang Food
More
Foods
Representative dishesLanzhou Beef Noodles, Jingyuan lamb, Dongxiang hand-grab mutton, Dunhuang donkey-meat yellow noodles
SnacksTianshui guagua, niangpi, sweet fermented grains, Shazhou paste pot
Ingredients and drinks
Condiments and ingredientswheat, lamb, beef, potatoes, buckwheat, lily bulbs, peppercorns
Tea and drinksbutter tea, sweet fermented-grain drink, Longnan green tea
AlcoholHexi grape wine, regional baijiu and grain spirits
Recognition
Intangible heritageLanzhou beef-noodle making is a national intangible cultural heritage representative project[1]
Places
SubdivisionsLanzhou, Jiayuguan, Jinchang, Baiyin, Tianshui, Wuwei, Zhangye, Pingliang, Jiuquan, Qingyang, Dingxi, Longnan, Linxia, Gannan
Related placesQinghai Food, Ningxia Food, Shaanxi Food, Sichuan Food, Xinjiang Food

Gansu Food is the umbrella for the food traditions of Gansu Province. It includes Lanzhou and central Gansu wheat foods, Hexi Corridor noodles and roast meats, eastern Gansu grain and livestock dishes, Longnan mountain produce, Linxia Hui food and Gannan Tibetan pastoral foods. Long cuisine (陇菜) is a modern organizing term for these related but distinct traditions.

The province's long east–west geography connects the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River valley, the Hexi Corridor, Tibetan Plateau margins and the Qinba mountain region. Wheat, beef, mutton, potatoes, buckwheat, highland grains, dairy foods, fruit and local vegetables therefore appear in different combinations across the province.[2][3]

Long cuisine
Regional food traditions and shared ingredients
Cities and prefectures
Specialties from all 14 divisions
Representative dishes
Noodles, lamb, banquet and local dishes
Street foods
Niangpi, guagua and market snacks
Noodles and staples
Hand-pulled, cut and shaped wheat foods
Tea and drinks
Butter tea, grain drinks and Longnan tea
Alcohol
Wine, baijiu and regional grain traditions
Ingredients
Potatoes, lily bulbs, peppercorns and grains

Food geography

Gansu food is best understood through several broad landscapes. These groupings overlap, and county traditions may differ within the same city or prefecture.

  • Lanzhou and central Gansu: beef noodles, wheat foods, sweet fermented grains, niangpi, lamb and Yellow River valley produce.
  • Hexi Corridor: Wuwei, Jinchang, Zhangye, Jiayuguan and Jiuquan, with wheat noodles, roast meat, lamb, beef, dairy products, fruit and oasis agriculture. The modern Hexi Corridor is commonly defined through these five cities.[2]
  • Eastern Gansu: Tianshui, Pingliang and Qingyang, where wheat, buckwheat, millet, apples, beef, chicken and fermented sour soup appear in local dishes.
  • Dingxi and Longnan: potatoes, wheat, cured meat, peppercorns, olive oil and mountain products. Longnan is also Gansu's principal tea-growing area.[4]
  • Linxia and Gannan: halal beef and mutton traditions in Linxia and Tibetan pastoral foods in Gannan, including hand-grab mutton, yak products, butter tea and filled dumplings.

Gansu Food by City and Prefecture

The directory covers Gansu's 12 prefecture-level cities and two autonomous prefectures. The examples preserve city and county associations and are not exhaustive.

Lanzhou

  • Lanzhou Beef Noodles (兰州牛肉面), sweet fermented grains (甜醅子), niangpi / cold starch noodles (酿皮子), gray-bean sweet soup (灰豆子) and hot winter fruit (热冬果).
  • Lanzhou beef-noodle making centers on the city and radiates into surrounding areas; the craft is listed as a national intangible cultural heritage representative project.[1][5]

Jiayuguan

  • Jiayuguan grilled meat, lamb skewers, roast lamb and Hexi noodle dishes.
  • The city shares ingredients and market-food traditions with neighboring Jiuquan and the wider Hexi Corridor.[2]

Jinchang

  • Mutton with rolled dough sheets (羊肉垫卷子), lamb dishes, wheat foods and oasis-grown produce.

Baiyin

  • Jingyuan lamb (靖远羊羔肉), sour-braised meat (酸烂肉) and yiwosi / fine-thread pancake (一窝丝).
  • Lamb traditions connect Baiyin with central Gansu's halal and pastoral foodways.

Tianshui

  • Tianshui guagua (天水呱呱), jiangshui noodles (浆水面), crisp dough rings and Tianshui malatang.
  • Sour fermented vegetable broth, chile, wheat and buckwheat are recurring elements in local snack foods.[6]

Wuwei

  • Wuwei “three-piece cart” breakfast (三套车), Wuwei mianpi and lamb dishes.
  • The meal conventionally combines a drink, a wheat or noodle component and cooked meat, reflecting Hexi market and travel foodways.

Zhangye

  • Paozhang noodles (炮仗面), beef “small rice” (牛肉小饭), cut noodles and local lamb or beef dishes.
  • Zhangye's oasis agriculture and multiethnic population contribute grain, livestock and dairy ingredients.[7]

Pingliang

  • Jingning roast chicken (静宁烧鸡), Pingliang guokui and beef dishes associated with the Longdong uplands.
  • The region is also connected with Pingliang red cattle and apple production.[3]

Jiuquan

  • Shazhou paste pot (糊锅), Dunhuang donkey-meat yellow noodles (驴肉黄面), lamb, roast meat and oasis fruit.
  • Dunhuang food is included here as a county-level tradition within Jiuquan.

Qingyang

  • Longdong earthen hot pot (土暖锅), buckwheat hele noodles (荞麦饸饹), millet foods and lamb or beef dishes.
  • Apples, grains and livestock are major parts of the eastern Gansu food economy.[3]

Dingxi

  • Longxi cured pork (陇西腊肉), potato noodles, potato jiaotuan and local pastries.
  • Dingxi's potato industry produces starch, vermicelli, flour and other processed foods as well as fresh potatoes.[8]

Longnan

  • Potato jiaotuan (洋芋搅团), oil-flour tea, Wudu peppercorn foods, mountain vegetables and olive-oil products.
  • Longnan green tea is grown in the Wenxian–Wudu–Kangxian area, the province's principal tea region.[4]

Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture

  • Dongxiang hand-grab mutton (东乡手抓), Hexian noodle pieces (河沿面片), beef and mutton soups, stuffed breads and fried pastries.
  • The prefecture's Hui, Dongxiang, Bao'an, Salar and other communities contribute distinct halal food practices.[7]

Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture

  • Butter tea, Tibetan filled dumplings (藏包), tsampa, yak meat and dairy foods.
  • Pastoral and highland grain traditions distinguish Gannan from lower-elevation wheat-growing areas.

Long cuisine and regional traditions

Long cuisine (陇菜) is used for the province's restaurant dishes, home cooking, halal food, ethnic minority foodways and local snacks. Provincial policy documents support codifying classic Long dishes while also preserving local and ethnic foods.[9][10]

Shared features

  • Wheat noodles and breads in many cities and counties
  • Beef and mutton in halal, pastoral and restaurant traditions
  • Potatoes, buckwheat, millet and barley in highland or dryland areas
  • Sour fermented vegetable broth, chile, garlic, cumin and vinegar in many local snacks
  • Oasis fruit, dairy foods and roast meat in the Hexi Corridor
  • Mountain produce, peppercorns, tea and olive oil in Longnan

These features do not form a single standard flavor. Lanzhou noodle shops, Linxia halal cooking, Dunhuang market foods, Longdong grain dishes and Gannan Tibetan foods retain distinct social and religious contexts.

Representative dishes

  • Lanzhou Beef Noodles (兰州牛肉面) — hand-pulled noodles served with beef broth, sliced beef, radish, herbs and chile oil; local shops commonly call the dish “beef noodles.”[1]
  • Jingyuan lamb (靖远羊羔肉) — a Baiyin-area lamb dish with chile and other seasonings.
  • Dongxiang hand-grab mutton (东乡手抓) — boiled or simmered mutton served in pieces, associated with Linxia and Dongxiang food traditions.
  • Dunhuang donkey-meat yellow noodles (驴肉黄面) — thin yellow noodles paired with cooked donkey meat and sauce.
  • Wuwei three-piece cart (武威三套车) — a combined meal associated with Wuwei market and breakfast culture.
  • Jingning roast chicken (静宁烧鸡) — a braised poultry specialty from Pingliang.
  • Longxi cured pork (陇西腊肉) — cured pork associated with Dingxi's Longxi County.
  • Tianshui jiangshui noodles (天水浆水面) — noodles served with a tart fermented vegetable broth.
  • Gannan Tibetan dumplings (藏包) — filled dumplings associated with Tibetan pastoral foodways.

Street foods and snacks

Lanzhou and central Gansu

  • Beef noodles, niangpi, sweet fermented grains, gray-bean soup and hot winter fruit
  • Lamb skewers, stuffed flatbreads and fried pastries

Eastern and southern Gansu

  • Tianshui guagua, jiangshui noodles and malatang
  • Pingliang guokui and Jingning roast chicken
  • Qingyang buckwheat hele noodles
  • Dingxi potato noodles and potato jiaotuan
  • Longnan oil-flour tea

Hexi Corridor

  • Wuwei mianpi and three-piece cart
  • Zhangye paozhang noodles and beef small rice
  • Jiayuguan grilled meat
  • Jiuquan paste pot and Dunhuang yellow noodles

Autonomous prefectures

  • Linxia hand-grab mutton and Hexian noodle pieces
  • Gannan butter tea, tsampa and Tibetan filled dumplings

Noodles and staple foods

Gansu has a large directory of hand-pulled, cut, rolled, pinched and starch-set foods. Names often refer to their shape or preparation.

Wheat noodles

  • Lanzhou hand-pulled beef noodles
  • Tianshui jiangshui noodles
  • Linxia Hexian noodle pieces
  • Zhangye paozhang noodles and beef small rice
  • Dunhuang yellow noodles
  • Qingyang hele noodles

Starch and grain foods

  • Tianshui guagua, made from buckwheat or other starches
  • Niangpi, a cold starch or wheat-noodle snack
  • Dingxi potato noodles and potato jiaotuan
  • Gannan tsampa and highland barley foods
  • Millet and buckwheat foods in Longdong

Lanzhou beef-noodle making includes dough mixing, resting, repeated stretching, broth preparation and the assembly of noodles with meat and garnishes.[1]

Meat, halal and pastoral foods

Beef and mutton are central to many Gansu traditions, but their preparation differs by place and community.

  • Lanzhou beef broth and halal noodle shops
  • Jingyuan lamb in Baiyin
  • Dongxiang hand-grab mutton and halal banquet dishes in Linxia
  • Roast lamb and skewers across the Hexi Corridor
  • Yak meat and dairy products in Gannan
  • Pingliang and Qingyang beef production in eastern Gansu[3]

Food descriptions should preserve halal and ethnic context where relevant rather than treating all beef and mutton dishes as interchangeable.

Tea and non-alcoholic drinks

  • Longnan green tea: grown in the province's southeastern mountain area and connected historically with routes between agricultural and pastoral regions.[4]
  • Butter tea: part of Tibetan foodways in Gannan.
  • Sweet fermented grains (甜醅): eaten or drunk as a lightly fermented grain refreshment in Lanzhou and elsewhere.
  • Hot winter fruit (热冬果): a warm pear-based drink or dessert associated with Lanzhou.
  • Three-bubble tea (三泡台): tea served with sugar, dried fruit and other additions in Hui and northwestern hospitality traditions.
  • Buckwheat and herbal drinks: included among modern Gansu tourism products.[11]

Alcohol

Gansu alcohol traditions reflect grain-growing areas, oasis viticulture and local brands.

  • Grape wine from the Hexi Corridor
  • Baijiu and grain spirits associated with Wuwei, Jiuquan, Zhangye and other producing areas
  • Highland barley and grain-based drinks in pastoral regions
  • Household fermented grain drinks used in local festivals and meals

Modern provincial product programs include wine, baijiu and other processed agricultural products, while brand examples should be treated as commercial producers rather than as definitions of regional cuisine.[8][12]

Ingredients and condiments

Staple and livestock ingredients

  • Wheat flour, potatoes, buckwheat, millet and highland barley
  • Beef, mutton, yak meat and dairy products
  • Oasis fruit, apples, pears, grapes and melons

Produce and seasonings

  • Lanzhou lily bulbs
  • Wudu peppercorns and peppercorn shoots
  • Longnan olive oil and mountain vegetables
  • Chile, garlic, cumin, vinegar and fermented sour broth
  • Mushrooms and plateau-grown vegetables

The “Gansu Flavour” agricultural program includes potatoes, beef, highland dairy and other regionally branded products; provincial tourism selections also include olive oil, peppercorn products, buckwheat tea, lily bulbs and fruit drinks.[8][11]

Cooking techniques and food heritage

Noodle and staple techniques

  • Hand-pulling and repeated stretching for Lanzhou beef noodles
  • Cutting, rolling and pinching dough into regional noodle shapes
  • Fermenting vegetable broth for jiangshui noodles
  • Setting and slicing starch sheets for niangpi and guagua
  • Pounding and stirring potatoes into jiaotuan

Meat and preservation techniques

  • Simmering beef or mutton for clear broths
  • Hand-grab mutton preparation and service
  • Roasting meat over charcoal in Hexi markets
  • Curing pork in Longxi
  • Drying grains, fruit and vegetables for winter use

Lanzhou beef-noodle making is formally listed within the national intangible cultural heritage representative project “Traditional noodle-making techniques.”[1] Provincial heritage events have also highlighted the craft within Gansu's food-related intangible heritage.[5]

Food brands and regional products

This section distinguishes regional public brands, historic producers and commercial companies from the foods themselves.

  • Lanzhou beef-noodle shops and training systems: businesses and craft schools connected with the city's noodle trade.
  • Gansu Flavour (甘味): a provincial agricultural public-brand program covering many regional products.[8]
  • Lanzhou lily and Longnan olive oil: two products promoted through regional origin and agricultural branding.[12]
  • Wudu peppercorn, Dingxi potato and Pingliang beef: ingredient industries tied to particular production areas.[8]
  • Hexi wine and baijiu producers: commercial makers connected with oasis agriculture and grain production.
  • Linxia food businesses: producers and restaurants associated with hand-grab mutton, beef and halal foods.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Traditional noodle-making techniques: Lanzhou beef-noodle making, China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Gansu Hexi Corridor overview, Gansu Belt and Road Portal.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Action plan for Gansu's modern cold-arid specialty agriculture, Gansu Provincial People's Government.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Longnan green tea and Gansu's tea-growing area, Gansu Belt and Road Portal.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Gansu intangible cultural heritage activities in 2022, China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum.
  6. ↑ Gansu cultural products and foods at the Shenzhen cultural fair, Gansu Belt and Road Portal.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Gansu city and prefecture profiles, Gansu Government Service Portal.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Development of Gansu Flavour regional products, Gansu Belt and Road Portal.
  9. ↑ Measures to support key service industries and promote consumption, Gansu Provincial People's Government.
  10. ↑ Gansu cultural inheritance and tourism development plan, Gansu Provincial People's Government.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Selected Gansu Flavour tourism products, Gansu Belt and Road Portal.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Gansu regional specialties, Gansu Belt and Road Portal.
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