Food is a part of travel, especially some unique local food is not to be missed. For example, the Tingzhou Thirteen Flowers we ate when traveling in Changji, Xinjiang is one of them. Tingzhou is the old name of Changji. Judging from the name, it has a strong regional attribute, just like Chongqing hot pot and Lanzhou ramen. The difference is that although Chongqing hot pot and Lanzhou ramen also have regional attributes, they have blossomed all over the country and even all over the world. Sanhua is different. Currently it is mainly popular in China, so it is impossible to eat authentic Tingzhou thirteen flowers in other places.
Therefore, Tingzhou Thirteen Flowers is composed of thirteen dishes, which is similar to the eight bowls found in many places in the Mainland, except that Tingzhou Thirteen Flowers is composed of thirteen bowls of different dishes, served in In a square plate.
As for the origin of the Tingzhou Thirteen Flowers, according to the owner of Changji Huaer Banquet Hall, Tingzhou Thirteen Flowers actually added four cold dishes to the local Nine Bowls and Three Lines Banquet to solve the Nine Bowls and Three Lines Banquet. It is all about the problem of the meat being too greasy. Adding four dishes at the same time also shows the sincerity of the Changji people in hospitality, which is the highest local etiquette.
As for the Nine Bowls and Three Lines Banquet, it originated in the early Ming Dynasty. It is said that after a victory in a battle, the famous Hui general Chang Yuchun set up nine cauldrons in the army, and each cauldron was filled to the brim. A pot full of different delicacies, and these delicacies are all meat, very rich, and then the whole army will walk around the cauldron to taste, as a reward, and later this way of eating was transferred to the Nine Bowls. The banquet of the Hui nationality embodies a grand atmosphere and a grand sense of ceremony.
Since then, the Nine Bowls and Three Elements Banquet has become a traditional banquet for the Hui people on religious festivals, weddings and funerals, and during the Spring Festival. The main ingredients are cattle, sheep, chicken, and fish. The specific dishes vary by region. There are differences in different dishes, but they basically include meatballs, stewed dumplings, rolled curtains, sandwiched sand, yellow stewed meat, etc., and the cooking methods are mainly steamed and stewed.
The arrangement of the nine-bowl three-line banquet is also very particular. It needs to use nine bowls of the same size to hold different delicacies, and the nine bowls of dishes should be arranged in a square with three peas on each side, so that no matter from north to south or from north to south, Looking from east to west, they all form three lines, hence the name "nine bowls and three lines".
According to local friends, nine bowls and three lines have rich cultural connotations. Nine is a very auspicious number in the eyes of local people. , you have to pronounce it four times (hàng) in order to reflect its sense of language and charm!
Whether it is the nine-bowl three-line banquet or the upgraded Tingzhou Thirteen Flowers, they are all authentic banquets of the Hui people. Attending this kind of banquet is called "eating banquet". Therefore, when nine bowls of three elements or Tingzhou thirteen flowers are served on a flat Zhang plate, it actually covers people's simplest wish: peace in the world.
In the Huaer Banquet Hall in Changji, in addition to Tingzhou Thirteen Flowers, we also tasted some unique and delicious delicacies, such as the cowboy grains in the picture above, the flower buns are very beautiful, and the cowboy grains on it Also very tender.
There is also this dish that is also very good, but I can’t remember the specific name. I asked the proprietress in the store, and even she said that she didn’t know. Well, the important thing is not the name, but the dish itself is worth recommending. Plate, or taste is excellent.
This dish is based on vermicelli, the golden part on the top is made of eggs, and the inside is wrapped with grilled beef cubes. It is very special. The taste of the grilled meat is very authentic, and the heat is just right, which is impressive.
In fact, according to Yu Fan, these delicacies with local characteristics are not only a single food, but also a unique local culture, which not only has a long history, but also reveals their wisdom.
Looking at the neatly arranged bowls of delicacies, whether it is called the Nine Bowls and Three Lines Banquet, or Mingting Thirteen Flowers, what we feel is the enthusiasm of the local people, a kind of enthusiasm for receiving us with banquets, although outside It is freezing cold, but the restaurant is as warm as spring. Being in it, you can not only taste the rich food, but also realize what is the real national unity.
