Xinjiang eats late, and the evening food market is one of the region's great institutions. The two best are in Kashgar and Turpan, and both are as much social events as meals: families, students, traders and visitors all converge on the same rows of stalls once the heat of the day has gone.
Kashgar
Kashgar's night food street sits near the old town and fills with stalls from early evening. The centrepiece is the grill: lamb kebabs seasoned with salt, cumin and chilli, kidney and liver skewers, whole fish, chicken, and the famous stuffed lamb intestines. Alongside are stalls selling pilaf - rice cooked with lamb, carrots and onions in a huge iron pot and lifted out by the bowlful - plus handmade noodles, wontons, dumplings, samsa pastries baked in tandoors, and bowls of yoghurt and cold drinks. Fruit merchants stack melons, grapes, figs and pomegranates beside the food, and the juice pressers work all evening.
Turpan
Turpan's market is smaller and more local in feel, set among the grapevine trellises for which the town is known. Skewers, noodle soups, bread, roast chicken and pilaf are all on offer, along with cold beer and tea. Because Turpan is one of the hottest places in China in summer, the market does not come alive until well after sunset, and it runs late into the night when the temperature finally drops.
What to look for
Order kebabs by the skewer and watch them cooked - the meat should be turned slowly over charcoal, not flames, and the fat should render rather than burn. Pilaf is usually sold by weight or by the bowl, with a piece of lamb on top. Noodle dishes include laghman, hand-pulled noodles with a vegetable and meat sauce, and there are thick soups made with lamb and wheat. Finish with yoghurt, which is served plain and slightly tart, or with fresh pomegranate juice.
Practical notes
Both markets run from early evening until late, and the busiest period is between nine and eleven. Almost everything is cooked to order, so freshness is rarely a problem; choose the stalls with the longest local queues. Cash is still useful for small purchases, though mobile payment is accepted widely. Vegetarians can eat well on bread, noodles, fruit, yoghurt and grilled vegetables, but should check whether meat stock has been used in soups.
