« In Dunehuang | Main | Minority Report »
May 7, 2009
Xinjiang Recipes: Tomato and Cucumber Salad
At my mother's urging, I am starting a simple recipe series about Xinjiang cuisine, which will cover mostly Uyghur and Hui Muslim food. No one seems to have published these delicious directions in English in print form or on the internets, so one of my friends and I are interviewing local chefs, translating a cookbook, adapting it to the Western kitchen, and posting it bit by bit on this blog. Since I am a terrible cook, I will not post anything too complicated or adventurous like opka hesip, basically sheep lung and intestines stuffed with fried rice and vegetables. Today's recipe is a type of "cold dish" served in many restaurants in Rockriverton. I have tasted other variations with parsley, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, or ranch salad dressing with American, Chinese, Mongolian, and Russian cuisine. I do think that the chili pepper and sugar combination is unique to this region. Anyway, I hope that you will try a bit of Xinjiang at home.
Ingredients:
2 large cucumbers, peeled; 4 regular tomatoes; ¼ red onion; 2 tsp red chili powder; 2 tsp sugar; 1 tsp salt; chopped cilantro
Servings: Four
Preparation:
(1) Wash and dice the cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onion.
(2) Mix chili powder, sugar, and salt with the raw vegetables in a large bowl.
(3) Serve cold with a bit of cilantro.
Posted on May 7, 2009 12:34 AM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
https://blogs.princeton.edu/mt/mt-tb.cgi/4994
Comments
I didn't quite realize this was a Xinjiang cuisine. I'm looking forward to the rest of these recipes. I forgot, where did you get this book again? We'd love to get a copy sometime.
Posted by: Josh at May 7, 2009 12:59 PM
Josh! I just clarified it in the entry. I've definitely had other versions of this, just not with chili powder. I bought a cookbook in Urumqi, although it's in Uyghur. I can post you a copy if you still would want one, but I'll bet TS with her infinite cooking wisdom knows how to make everything already!! The Hui recipes I am asking around town though.
Posted by: Saku at May 7, 2009 4:53 PM
恩，凉皮也是石河子的一大美食......
Posted by: Jerome Han at May 12, 2009 12:04 PM
Hello!
I lived in China for two years and some of my fondest memories were going to the Xinjiang area of Beijing and enjoying their noodles and bread! Would happen to have any of those recipes? Especially the bread.
Thank you - xie xie
Rachel (Lee li Sha)
Posted by: rachel at May 27, 2009 4:08 AM