A Brief Guide to the Flavors of Xi’an

Appears in

Xi'an Famous Foods: The Cuisine of Western China, from New York's Favorite Noodle Shop

Published 2020

About

Xi’an has always been kind of a big deal. Formerly known as Chang’an, my hometown was the longest-serving ancient capital of China. Dynasties rose and fell, but the area’s importance remained constant.

It’s the reason why our food is unique. A long time ago,² some hotshot emperor³ decided to make a deal with a native tribe farther west in order to fight their enemy at the time, the Xiongnu. The messenger Zhang Qian ended up being captured, but when he finally escaped ten years later, he brought back stories of the food, culture, and legendary “winged” horses⁴ found in the west.

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In this section

Sour

Spicy—the Hot Kind

Spicy—the Savory Kind

Part of

The Original Track

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