Flavor Regale “whole sheep banquet” of Xibe Ethnic Group

In different area, Xi bo food is varied. Those living in Xinjing usually live on wheat and rice. Apart from “leaven dough cake” and milk tea, they are also fond of leek hezhi (a sort of dumpling), pumpkin steamed jiaozhi, “grasping rice” of Uyghur nationality and “naren”(meat and fried dough flake). In winter, they would enjoy ” Wuta tea” (greasing tea). Every family raises poultry and livestock and plants all sorts of vegetables. The flour sauce would be boiled in 4.18(Lunar callender) every year and stored in croaks, which is the regular dish condiment. In the end of Autumn, the whole pickles is bloated; besides, the slices of leek, green pepper, carrot, cabbage and celery would be mixed together to be prepared for winter and spring, which called “hua hua dish”. Those Xibo people living in northeastern area live on sorghum, rice and corn plus wheat. In the Xibo dishes, the most famous are “fish soup and sorghum grain”, “blood and pork”, “whole steamed piglet”, “chafing dish”, “pumpkin steamed jiaozhi” and so on. Among others, “whole sheep banquet” are the most characteristic dishes, which are made of sheep sweetbread.

“Whole sheep banquet” in language of Xibo means “dishes held by bowels”. Fresh sheep sweetbreads such as heart, liver, lung intestine, kidney, tongue, eye, ear, stomach, foot and blood are the basic cooking material. Each sweetbread is chopped to make a dish with soup and hold in 16 bowels respectively; some caraway and shallot would be added also to make them bright and delicious. Dishes made of intestines have many styles. The cleaning intestines would be filled with sheep blood, serum, liver, sheep fat, onion, meat chipping, seasoning and rice to make 5 or 6 dishes; and each dish own its own operation, so they present distinct flavors. Moreover, some krauts would join to the banquet to give it improved effects.

According to custom of Xibo nationality, only the extremely guests would be served with “whole sheep banquet” because it is difficult to make and eat. If you have chance to enjoy them, please do not waste the opportunity.