It was a cold, windy day in the month of November, in the ancient Silk Road city of Xi’an. As I woke up from my rest after an 6 hour overnight flight, I got ready to head out with my winter coat, excited to visit the halal street food in China for the first time.
Home to the terracotta warriors, Xi’an is also home to the best halal street food around China! With over 60,000 ethnic Hui Muslims living here, it won’t be an issue to find Muslim-friendly eats during your stay here. I’ve had people always ask me if it is easy to find halal food in China, but trust me it’s not difficult at all. There are plenty of halal eateries dotted all over this city but for THE ultimate street food market, you cannot miss The Muslim Quarter which is a feast for the eyes, the senses and the taste buds! Lined with numerous stalls selling clothes, handicrafts and local food, I’d call it the foodie wonderland for halal Chinese street food and it can be overwhelming if it’s your first time there. To help you out, I’ve shortlisted the 6 must-eat halal street food that you have to try!
There are different ways to go to The Muslim Quarter including the metro, but taxis and private car hires (download the DiDi app) are very affordable. My friend and I hopped on a cab and just mentioned three words: “Hui Min Jie”, which means Muslim Street (回民街)!
1. Xi’an meat burger (Roujiamo)
Average price you should pay: 5-10RMB
What hamburgers?! Existing even before its Western counterpart is Xi’an meat burgers that can be traced back all the way to the Qin dynasty since 221 BC! These consist of fresh pulled beef brisket steamed between handmade buns, that were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Topped with various spices including coriander and star anise, these burgers looked so delicious but I wished they were warm when served! When I was here in Xi’an during my layover, it was winter so it would make a lot of difference if they were piping hot! 😶
2. Lamb skewers (Yang rou chuan)
Average price you should pay: 20RMB for 20
Meat-lovers, listen up! This is one that shouldn’t be missed when you’re here at the Muslim Quarter – or in China for that matter. All the lamb skewers that I’ve tried in halal eateries all over China just taste so good, and so different from what I have ever tried before. 😋So flavourful and so so succulent, these chunks of juicy lamb meat are coated in a variety of spices. Once you have a bite of it, you can taste the cumin, chilli flakes and Szechuan peppercorns. The ones here are also skewered onto actual tree branches! 😱One big difference that I realised was that the chunks of lamb skewers here are actually much bigger than the ones sold elsewhere in China.
3. Colourful steamed noodles
Average price you should pay: 15RMB
Cold noodles, or known as Liangpi, is a type of sliced rice noodles made with steamed starchy water. Nowadays besides the traditional white cold noodles, they come with purple, green and other different colours which make them stand out, and that’s why I decided to try them as it’s something totally different. 😯 Mixed with chili oil and vegetables like cucumber and bean sprouts, these colourful noodles had that sweet savoury taste to it. But for those who can’t eat spicy, they can opt for the sesame topping instead!
4. Gaoshan small potatoes (Gao shan xiao tu dou)
Average price you should pay: 20RMB
They start as tiny yellow potatoes deep fried in a large wok. They are then tossed with a couple types of dried chili, finely ground and coarsely-crushed cumin, salt, sugar, garlic, and scallions. But when I tried them, they had a tinge of mala flavouring as well for me. 👌
5. Braised sheep hooves (yang ti zi)
Average price you should pay: 15RMB
When I first saw these displayed in piles in the food street , it definitely looked very strange unappetizing.😳 There’s no way you won’t come across them when you’re here! And you have to be a cartilage lover (like how I love my sup tulang tok-tok) because the sheep hooves consist of 50/50 meat and collagen. Savoury and gelatinous, these braised sheep hooves are generously dressed in chillies and sesames. Please sit down while you’re eating this! 😁
6. Fried dumplings
Average price you should pay: 10RMB
There are different versions of dumplings, whether they are pan fried or steamed. I didn’t know why I didn’t try the halal version of xiaolongbaos in the Muslim Street, but instead I got their pan fried dumplings tossed with spices and dried chilies. They turned out to be very delicious, and it’s also because I preferred the fried versions, to their steamed or boiled version.🤤 When I think about all the other halal eateries in China, they also don’t have pan fried dumplings as they usually come in soups or steamed!
I hope that this post has made you to consider Xi’An as a city to visit on your next trip to China. There were so many different street food to try in the Muslim Quarters that honestly, I couldn’t try all of them even if I bring the whole crew set with me. The next time I’ll be in Xi’an, I want to conquer the legendary Mount Huashan!
