A Xinjiang Food Tour by Car: Eating Your Way Across the Region
A Xinjiang food tour by car: where to eat on the road, from samsa breakfasts to night-market grills, melons, and the dairy of the north.
Xinjiang Cuisine
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How Much Does Food Cost in Xinjiang in 2026? Real Meal Prices for Travelers
People warn you that Xinjiang is big, but nobody warns you how cheap the food is once you know where to sit. During my three weeks on the road in 2026, from Urumqi out to Kashgar and up to Y…
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Shubat and the White Gold of the Desert: Drinking Camel Milk in Xinjiang
Thick, faintly salty and faintly sour, shubat (fermented camel milk) is a desert staple from the Kazakh camps of the north to the Bactrian herds of the south. A full guide.
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Corn Country: How Xinjiang Turns Maize Into Yopka, Noodles and Roadside Roasts
From the sun-roasted cobs of the Tarim to yopka corn pancakes and cornmeal noodles of the north, maize is everywhere in Xinjiang. A traveller’s edible map of the crop.
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Ququ and Chuchvara: Xinjiang’s Little Dumplings and the Broth They Swim In
Smaller than manti and softer than jiaozi, ququ are Uyghur hat-shaped dumplings bobbing in a tomato-and-herb broth. A deep dive into one of Xinjiang’s comfort dishes.
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The Ceps of the Tianshan: Foraging Boletus and Porcini in Xinjiang’s Pine Forests
Above 1,500 metres the Tianshan pine belts erupt with boletes and porcini each autumn. A first-hand guide to finding, cooking and respecting Xinjiang’s wild cep grounds.
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Hunting Xinjiang’s Desert Truffles: The Terfezia That Ripens Under the Sand
Every spring the Taklamakan’s edge hides a secret: desert truffles (Terfezia, called kamcha) that local Uyghur foragers dig from the sand. Here is where, when and how to taste them.
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Chinese Dumplings (Jiaozi) in Xinjiang: A Food Lover’s Guide
Han Chinese jiaozi are Xinjiang’s overlooked winter comfort food. Learn how they differ from Uyghur manti, pork and beef fillings, where to eat from Urumqi to Hami, how to order by weight, and what a plate costs.
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Xinjiang Street BBQ and Shashlik: A Skewer Lover’s Guide
Xinjiang street BBQ is lamb skewers grilled over charcoal with salt and cumin. This guide covers what shashlik and kawap are, night markets, prices (¥3–¥8 per stick), how to order and the best stalls for self-drivers.
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Pickles and Preserved Foods of Xinjiang: Turşu, Pickled Garlic and Dried Melon
From Kashgar’s tursu jars to Hotan’s pickled garlic and dried Hami melon, discover Xinjiang’s ancient preserved foods. Cheap, safe, and sour, they are the Silk Road’s pantry secret.