Xinjiang's table reflects its position: wheat and lamb from the north, fruit and rice from the oases of the south, dairy and dried goods from the Kazakh and Kyrgyz herders of the mountains, and a spice palette closer to Central Asia than to eastern China. Cumin is the defining seasoning, and chili is used generously but not to Sichuan levels.
Lamb skewers
The signature dish is grilled lamb on metal or wooden skewers, cut from the shoulder and dusted with cumin, chili and salt. Good versions are cooked over charcoal and are fatty enough to stay juicy. Ask for shou zhuabai if you want exactly the cut you prefer, and expect the skewers to be small enough to eat four or five.
Naan
Naan here is a flat, round bread stamped with a pattern and baked against the wall of a tandoor, sometimes with onion or sesame on top. It is sold in stacks from street ovens and is eaten with everything, used to scoop up juices and to dip in tea.
Polo and laghman
Polo is the local pilaf: rice cooked with lamb, carrots, onions, raisins and cumin, often in a large pot and served with a piece of lamb on top. Laghman are hand-pulled noodles served with a stir-fried topping of lamb, peppers, tomato and celery. Both are staple lunch dishes, cheap and filling. Also look for samsa, a baked pastry filled with lamb and onion, and for large steamed dumplings.
Practical notes
Much of the food is halal, and in Uyghur restaurants you will not find pork. Dairy and wheat are central, so gluten-free and dairy-free travelers should plan carefully. The cuisine is rich and meat-heavy; vegetable dishes are less common outside the cities. In summer the fresh fruit is extraordinary: melons, grapes, figs and apricots, mostly from the Turpan and Kashgar oases.
