Chao Pao

Chao Pao is a signature flour dish in Zhangye, an ancient city in Northwest China's Gansu province, along the Silk Road in the Hexi Corridor. It earned the name because it resemble firecrackers, with pao referring to bian pao, the Chinese word for firecrackers.

The method of making Chao Pao is very particular. First, choose excellent flour to make the dough. After half an hour, roll the dough out until it is 30-40 cm long, put it in a tray and cover it with a soft damp cloth or plastic sheet, and then wait for half an hour to an hour depending on the temperature. Pull the dough into noodles around the same thickness as chopsticks and then put them into a boiling pot with bean sprouts, cabbage and other vegetables. Once cooked, take the noodles and vegetables out from the water. Fry the diced tofu using some of the brine soup, and then stir-fry the noodles evenly in the soup. Once cooked, put them in a large bowl and cover the noodles with stewed meat. This is a bowl of authentic Chao Pao. Add some chilli and soy sauce according to personal preference and don’t forget to ask for a bowl of noodle soup on the side.

The preparation of the stewed meat for Chao Pao is fairly complicated as well. Choose the best fresh meat, clean it and cut it into small pieces of around ten centimeters. Stew the meat for several hours with seasoning and traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, and stew the meat until it is fragrant.