Jiaxian Specialty Snacks

Jiaxian is a region in Shaanxi Province. It is a well-known national tourist attraction with many scenic spots and historical sites such as Baiyun Mountain, Yunyan Temple and Xianglu Temple. Jiaxian County attracts many tourists every year. Jiaxian County is not only attractive for its scenic spots, but also has many special snacks. Here are some special snacks in Jiaxian County.

Jiaxian County is located in the northeastern part of Shaanxi Province, on the west bank of the Yellow River and the southern edge of the Mu Us Desert. It faces Shanxi across the Yellow River to the east, borders Suide and Wubao counties to the south, Mizhi to the west, Yuliang District to the northwest, and Shenmu to the north, with a total land area of ​​2,029.28 square kilometers. This vast land not only gave birth to such national scenic spots as Baiyun Mountain, the Yellow River wonder Xianglu Temple, and the Song Dynasty grotto Yunyan Temple, but also produced such unique local traditional snacks as Jiaxian Alkali Cake, Horse-Tips Pastry, Crispy Dumplings, Tongzhen Youxuan, Baotou Meat, and Lingzhen Sesame Cake.

1 Water chestnut crisp

(Water chestnut crisps)

Jiaxian County’s famous food, Horse Hoof Pastry, is named after its shape which resembles a horse hoof. It is also known as Honey Bowl and is a specialty snack in Jiaxian County. It was originally a precious pastry that people in Jiaxian County enjoyed when visiting relatives and friends, but now it has become a delicious delicacy for ordinary people. The production history of water chestnut cake has been hundreds of years. Its production method is relatively simple: for every three pounds of white flour, add ten eggs and one pound of honey, mix the flour evenly, roll it into half an inch thick, cut it into palm-sized cubes, pinch it into a bowl shape, fry it in oil and it is ready to eat. The water chestnut cake is brown-yellow in color, with clear layers. It tastes crispy, soft and sweet when bitten, and is full of fragrance.

2 Alkali Cake

(Alkali Cake)

As for the alkaline cake, it is said that it has been eaten by the people of Jiazhou since the Ming Dynasty, and only the water from the Jialu River can make it authentic and delicious. To make Jiaxian alkali cakes, a special stove is first used to bake over high heat. At the same time, the dead dough that has been activated with warm water is kneaded into the dough that has been fermented in advance. Then an appropriate amount of alkali is kneaded into the dough until the alkali and the dough are compatible. The dough is then divided into small pieces, rolled into thin pancakes, placed in an iron pan heated over low heat, covered with a special stove, and baked on both sides until the pancake surface is browned and ready to be served. The alkali cake is as thin as paper, tastes like crisps, is easy to digest, and not easy to deteriorate. It is very suitable for consumption by the elderly, children, postpartum women and patients.

3 Crispy Dumplings

(Crispy Dumplings)

The production method of crispy dumplings is divided into three steps: the first step is to knead the dough; the second step is to make the sugar filling; the third step is to divide the kneaded dough into small pieces, roll them into small round pieces, wrap them with sugar filling, pinch them into lace dumpling shapes, put them in a frying pan, fry them until they turn light yellow and then take them out. The crispy dumplings are sweet and delicious, with a fragrant and crispy texture, and the fragrance lingers in your mouth after you finish eating them.

4 Oil spin

(Tongzhen Oil Rotary)

To make oil-spinning, you first need to add cold water into boiling water to knead the dough, then pour it into the fermented dough, add alkaline flour, roll and knead it repeatedly, then divide the dough into portions and place them on the oil table, spread them into long slices, apply cooking oil on them, pull them into long strips, then rotate them, flatten them into pancakes, and bake them in the oven until the pancakes turn yellow. Tongzhen oil-fried cake is golden and shiny in color, with each layer as thin as a feather, crispy on the outside and soft and fragrant on the inside.

5. Baotou meat

(Baotou meat)

The method of cooking Baotou meat is to cut the pig's head into pieces, boil it over high heat, add salt, ginger, patchouli and other seasonings, until the meat can be torn off by hand, then cut it into thin strips or slices, put it into the braising soup, simmer for a while, then remove from the pot, put it in a bowl, pour in the braising soup, pat it to consolidate, wait for it to cool and solidify, then cut it into small slices, dip it in the sauce made of garlic, vinegar and salt, and it is ready to eat. Baotou meat is tender and smooth, with a strong sour and fragrant taste, and is tender and refreshing with a long aftertaste.