Food and Restaurants

Wheat is the staple grain and mutton the most common meat in Xinjiang. Noodles, served in soup or stir fried, are plentiful. Cold noodles are a welcome treat in the summer. The night market on Gaochang Lu near Wenhua Lu is full of vendors selling everything from kebabs of meat and liver to whole roast sheep. Xinjiang's specialty pilau rice, cooked with carrots and chunks of meat is widely available. Restaurants generally offer dapan ji, chopped chicken simmered with potatoes, onions and bell peppers. Try shouzhua fan, a rice and mutton dish eaten with your hands. This comes in two types: one which is a little sweet with eggs, radishes, currants, dried apricots and peanuts; the other variety contains beef or mutton and onions.

On Laocheng Lu, near the bus station, is a bazaar that specializes in baked pockets of pastry stuffed with spiced mutton that serves as a hearty breakfast or lunch. One real treat here is the homemade ice cream shaved from a block of ice mixed with yogurt and sweetened with rice wine. It's also a great place to sample Turpan's famous raisins and other dried fruits or nuts.