Uighur Food, Xinjiang Province in China

The food of the Uighur people. Photos of Xinjiang cuisine taken on the streets of Kashgar and Urumqi, China. Read more about our favorite Xinjiang food.

Suoman Gush Siz - Kashgar, China
"Suoman gush siz" is one of the only phrases of Uighur we learned (we're afraid to admit) while in Kashgar, China. It's this delicious dish of vegetables, peppers and homemade laghman noodles. A very welcome vegetarian change after months of mutton on the road in Central Asia. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Uighur Man Selling Dumplings - Kashgar, China
Stuffed with greens and a bit of meat, these delicious dumplings were a bargain - 3 for $0.10 - at Kashgar's night market. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Chickpea - Kashgar, China
Having spent months looking at meat products in Central Asia, we were excited to see a chickpea salad (called nokot) at the night market in Kashgar, China. Tangy, spicy and covered with fresh herbs, it made for a delicious and light course for dinner. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Xinjiang Food, Laghman Noodles - Kashgar, China
A vendor pulls and separates laghman noodles at the night market in Kashgar, China. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Goat Head Soup - Kashgar, China
A Uighur soup made with boiling goat heads (in the bucket). After our goat experience in Kyrgyzstan, we stayed clear of this local specialty. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Old Man and Unfinished Dumplings - Kashgar, China
A half-eaten dumpling awaits its end at the night food market in Kashgar, China. The Kashgar night market was a great place to sample local specialties, mix with the locals and spend less than $1 for two. We loved it! Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com..
Xinjiang Food: Yellow Noodles - Kashgar, China
Hand-made yellow noodles, (called serik ash) are piled high, ready for slicing at the food stalls outside Kashgar's Sunday Market. The dish on the left is a light mixture of noodles, herbs, and pickled vegetables served with a combination of vinegars and hot pepper sauce. Delicious, refreshing...different. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Pile of Nokot - Kashgar, China
Large piles of chickpea salad - called nokot - at the night market in Kashgar, China. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Uighur Grape Vendor - Kashgar, China
This Kashgar vendor spent five minutes tenderly placing a bunch of grapes just so. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Pomegranate Juice Vendor - Kashgar, China
Pure pomegranate juice is served in small, shot-sized portions, at the night market in Kashgar for 1 Yuan ($0.12). Fresh, sweet, and refreshing. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Nuts and Natural Energy - Kashgar, China
Walnuts, almonds and peanuts covered in a honey mixture make up Xinjiang's natural version of the Power Bar. Each square cost about $0.10-$0.15 depending upon the type of nut...and your bargaining skills...Taken on the streets of Kashgar's Old Town. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Xinjiang Food: Stuffing Somsas - Kashgar, China
Somsas are mutton stuffed pastries baked in a clay tandoor-like oven. They look delicious coming out of the oven, but the fat content many times overtakes the meat content, making them challenging eats...Taken in Kashgar in China's western province of Xinjiang. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Xinjiang Food: Stacked Sausages - Kashgar, China
Although interesting to the eye, we were never tempted enough by these stacked sausages to actually taste them. Turns out this is what opke hessip really is, not the description offered in the Lonely Planet (goat head soup). Taken at the food stands outside the Sunday market in Kashgar, China. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Older Uighur Man on Tea Break - Kashgar, China
An older Uighur man takes a tea break from animal trading at the animal market in Kashgar, China. The bagel-shaped bread is called girde nan. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Uighur Man, Thumbs Up - Kashgar, China
This Uighur man give us the thumbs up for a plate of manti (meat-stuffed Turkic dumplings) at a street-side restaurant in Kashgar, China. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Xinjiang Food, Manti Filling - Kashgar, China
The feature that makes manti in Kashgar different from its dumpling siblings in Central Asia is the amount of pumpkin squash used in the filling. The mound of filling pictured here is from a restaurant named Intizar. Though we indicated that we only wanted the pumpkin filling and not the meat (mostly fat), we got mutton anyway. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Kashgar Animal Market: Cutting Up Meat - China
What can happen after the animals are bought at the animal market in Kashgar, China. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Xinjiang Food: Peppers on Noodles - Kashgar, China
Peppers of all varieties help to marinade and flavor a pot of noodles at the night market in Kashgar, China. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Xinjiang Food: Laghman Noodle Making - Kashgar, China
Pulled noodles, known in Xinjiang province (and Central Asia) as laghman noodles get thrown around, beaten and pulled to ensure the right consistency before being used in soups and suoman (noodle, vegetable and meat mixture)...Taken at the animal market in Kashgar, China. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Xinjiang Food: Girde Nan - Kashgar, China
Girde nan (the bagel shaped bread) is a welcome break from all the meat on offer at the cafes near the animal market in Kashgar, China. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Xinjiang Food: Nan and Girde Nan - Kashgar, China
Nan (flat, round loaves) and girde nan (bagel-shaped bread) are stacked fresh from the oven. Taken in Kashgar, China. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Girde Nan - Kashgar, China
An Uighur specialty, girde nan is a round bagel-like bread round baked in a clay, tandoor style oven. Delicious, especially the dark crust on the underside. Kashgar, China. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Dried Fruits and Nuts - Kashgar, China
Dried fruits and nuts are plentiful at Kashgar's Sunday market (which is open every day of the week). The scene here reminded us of Central Asian markets. This makes sense given the Turkic roots of the Uighur people and similar climate of parts of China's Xinjiang province. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Young Vendor - Kashgar, China
A young girl works the grape trade on a street corner in Kashgar, China. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com
Eggs, Eggs and More Eggs - Kashgar, China
So many eggs. Even red ones. Taken in Kashgar, China. Read more about Xinjiang cuisine and Kashgar. © www.uncorneredmarket.com