Potato slices, meatballs, gluten, crystal clear Dingxi noodles, and a mixture of various vegetables are taken out after being cooked and evenly coated with fragrant oily spicy seeds. It is smooth and smooth when sucked into the mouth... This bowl The "hot and piping hot" mala tang was originally the secret joy of Gansu people's taste buds. Now it has become the "national snack" pursued by the entire Internet and continues to be popular.
On March 14, tourists taste Malatang in Tianshui, Gansu.
Recently, Gansu Tianshui Malatang has become popular on online platforms, attracting many tourists from all over the country to taste it.
Photo by Jiumei Danzeng
Why is this bowl of Malatang so popular in Gansu?
From ancient times to the present, desert, Gobi, frontier fortress, camel, and drought have become the "stereotype" of Gansu by the outside world. This sudden explosion is somewhat "unexpected", but in fact it is "expected."
On March 14, tourists were tasting Malatang in Tianshui, Gansu.
Photo by Jiumei Danzeng
On March 14, tourists taste Malatang in Tianshui, Gansu.
Recently, Gansu Tianshui Malatang has become popular on online platforms, attracting many tourists from all over the country to taste it.
Photo by Jiumei Danzeng
Dingxi, Gansu Province, the “Hometown of Potatoes in China”: supports half of the Malatang industry
The vermicelli is undoubtedly the "C" of this bowl of spicy hotpot.
Compared with instant noodles, soft vermicelli, etc. that are included in Malatang in other regions, the potato noodles in Gansu Malatang can be said to have "different shapes", with wide varieties, leek leaf powder, fine noodles, vermicelli, etc., while "Dingxi" "Kuanfen", just like the generous minds of Longzhong people, best reflects the heroic spirit of Northwest cuisine.
On March 14, tourists were tasting Malatang in Tianshui, Gansu.
The chewy and smooth vermicelli is the most recommended by diners.
Photo by Jiumei Danzeng
"Dingxi Kuanfen" is famous in the market for its "spicy, smooth, strong, translucent, fragrant and refreshing".
In 2023, the number of "Dingxi Kuanfen" processing entities will reach 120, with a production capacity of more than 200,000 tons, and sales exceeding 3 billion yuan.
In April 2023, "Dingxi Kuanfen" successfully registered the national geographical indication certification trademark.
"Xiao Kuan Fan" is booming towards a tens of billions-level "big industry" with unprecedented momentum.
The picture shows workers working on Dingxi wide flour milling in a potato wide flour production base in Anding District, Dingxi City, Gansu Province.
Photo by Li Yalong
Dingxi Kuanfen is derived from the high-quality potatoes of Dingxi, the "Hometown of Potatoes in China".
Dingxi, located in central Gansu, is famous for and prosperous because of sweet potatoes.
After more than 200 years of development, potatoes in the land of "Longzhong" have accompanied the people of Dingxi through famine, providing food and clothing, getting rid of poverty, becoming well-off in an all-round way, and embarking on the road to common prosperity.
"There are three treasures in Dingxi, Gansu: potatoes, potatoes, and potatoes." This saying illustrates the pillar status of potatoes in Dingxi.
The picture shows freshly dug Dingxi potatoes in the fields of Dingxi, Gansu.
Photo by Wei Jianjun
Dingxi has a cool climate, with rain and heat in the same season, loose and breathable soil, and a large temperature difference between day and night. Thanks to this special soil and climate conditions, the potatoes produced are golden and bright, full of porcelain, mellow in taste, durable in transportation and storage, and have a high dry matter content. High in potassium and a variety of vitamins, it can produce "delicious food on the tip of the tongue" from simple boiling, roasting, stir-frying, and steaming in ordinary farmers to refined cooking in high-end restaurants.
Dingxi potatoes also appear in the form of "potato chips" and "potato balls". Not only have they become the "overlord" of hot pot, their soft and waxy texture has also become an indispensable staple food in Gansu Malatang.
Low-key "Vegetable Basket" Gansu: Let Malatang be fresh all year round
Cauliflower, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, bamboo shoots, celery, Chinese cabbage, baby cabbage, kale, carrots and other accompanying vegetables are also one of the protagonists of this popular bowl of Malatang.
Most of these fresh vegetables are grown locally in Gansu.
On March 14, in Tianshui, Gansu, tourists held up "vegetable bouquets" of Malatang ingredients they selected.
Photo by Jiumei Danzeng
When it comes to drought-stricken Gansu, green vegetables cannot be associated with it.
In fact, Gansu not only has many types of vegetables, but also has high quality.
Gansu is a low-key "vegetable basket" and an important base for the country's "Western cuisine transfer to the East" and "Northern cuisine to the South".
In 2023, the vegetable sowing area in Gansu Province will reach 9.85 million acres, the output will reach 29.55 million tons, and the output value of the entire industry chain will reach 99 billion yuan.
On July 29, 2021, workers harvested vegetables at the high-quality fruit and vegetable industry base for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in Wujiang Town, Ganzhou District, Zhangye City, Gansu Province.
Photo by Yang Yanmin
Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province, is also one of the country's three major export-oriented vegetable key areas and export vegetable production bases. It transports fresh vegetables to all parts of the country for up to half a year every year, promoting the products to sell well in more than 100 countries in more than 60 large and medium-sized cities in more than 20 provinces (cities). A wholesale market that directly supplies Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and is also exported to more than 10 countries including Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore.
In particular, the main production area of "Lanzhou Plateau Summer Vegetables" with Yuzhong County in Lanzhou City as the core area has become one of the main bases for the "Transportation of Northern Vegetables to the South" and "The Transfer of Western Vegetables to the East" in the country.
Tracing back to its source, Gansu is located at the intersection of three plateaus: the Loess Plateau, the Inner Mongolia Plateau, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It belongs to the three major river basins of the Yellow River, the Yangtze River, and the inland river. It has a depth of 16 longitudes, 10 latitudes, and 4 climate zones. The altitude difference is more than 5,000 meters, which breeds the green and organic characteristics of agricultural products.
Currently, there are 2,290 green, organic and geographically indicated agricultural products in the province.
The "Ganwei" brand is shaped by the brand's green and organic background, and its soul is forged with the brand concept of "honest Gansu authentic sweetness". It gradually becomes leafy and lush, and stands out.
"Sweet" golden signature chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns: retaining the soul of Malatang
In the words of netizens, the essence of Gansu Tianshui Malatang lies in the rich and delicious aroma of spicy oil.
Tianshui Youpo Chili has a strong appearance, but its spiciness is not overly spicy. "It is mainly fragrant, spicy and fragrant, and fragrant and spicy." Tianshui Gangu Chili is the best choice, no one else.
On March 14, in Tianshui, Gansu, a merchant was making Malatang.
Photo by Jiumei Danzeng
In Gangu, no meal is complete without spicy food.
Gangu pepper has been cultivated for at least 400 years. It has bright color, thick and oily meat, slender strips, even wrinkles, and strong spicy flavor. It has many functions such as appetizing, strengthening the spleen, nourishing the skin and improving eyesight.
Gangu County, the "Hometown of Chili Peppers in China", is one of the earliest counties for chili pepper cultivation in my country.
Due to the unique soil, climate and other natural conditions, Gangu's peppers have thick meat and rich oil, and the aromatic substances are more abundant.
Grind the sun-dried chili peppers into flour, and the hot oily chili peppers blanched are spicy without burning your mouth. It is the legendary "magic ingredient" that "smells even when dipped in the soles of shoes".
In 2023, the county's pepper planting area will reach 56,000 acres, with a total output of 130,000 tons and an output value of about 350 million yuan. A business system integrating marketing, storage, processing, transportation and sales, and e-commerce has basically been formed. The existing pepper production, operation, and There are 9 leading sales companies, which have introduced 7 sets of advanced production and processing equipment, with annual sales of 12,000 tons of chili products and sales revenue of 250 million.
The county's peppers are also favored by the international market. More than 60 varieties, mainly line peppers, are exported to more than 20 countries and regions.
On March 14, in Tianshui, Gansu, a merchant was making Malatang.
Photo by Jiumei Danzeng
The wonderful base flavor of Gansu Malatang is not only due to the spicy oil; during the seasoning stage, sprinkle a small handful of pepper noodles on the Malatang, which adds a refreshing kick to the spicy taste and an endless aftertaste.
Zanthoxylum bungeanum is the economic tree species with the most cultivated area in Gansu after apple and walnut.
Wudu District, Longnan City is one of the first batch of "Hometowns of Chinese Zanthoxylum bungeanum". Among the main Zanthoxylum bungeanum producing areas in the country, Wudu Zanthoxylum bungeanum ranks first in area, yield, quality, and farmers' income ratio.
The picture shows the pepper harvest season in Wudu District, Longnan City, Gansu Province, located in the Qinba Mountains.
Photo by Yang Yanmin
Unexpected Gansu: Not only this bowl of spicy hotpot
From the perspective of physical geography, Gansu is a very special region.
The eastern monsoon zone, the northwest arid zone, and the Qinghai-Tibet alpine zone are the three natural divisions of China that meet here.
We can feel the drought and desolation of the western desert, experience the "high cold" of the snow-covered plateau, and also experience the humidity like a water town in the south of the Yangtze River. The mixture of different climate and terrain conditions is destined to make Gansu changeable. .
The picture shows farmers picking grapes in the vineyard in Yingpan Village, Yangguan Town, Dunhuang City, Gansu Province.
Photo by Zhang Xiaoliang
On May 25, 2022, people of the Baoan ethnic group were making the national delicacy wheat buns in Jishishan County, Linxia Prefecture.
Photo by Gao Zhan
The picture shows the noodles and side dishes of Gansu specialty delicacy.
Photo by Liu Yutao
Qingyang glutinous rice noodles, Tianshui slurry water surface, Liujiaxia Yellow River carp, Gannan Tibetan buns, Jingyuan lamb, Minqin honeydew melon, Dunhuang donkey meat yellow noodles... The different natural environment characteristics of various regions in Gansu Province have formed local The unique food culture makes this inland northwest province a "food paradise".
Planting in spring and harvesting in autumn, the northwest people who have worked on this land for generations have put their full sincerity and simplicity into this bowl of spicy hotpot, waiting for more people to come here and discover more unexpected aspects of it.
On March 14, tourists taste Malatang in Tianshui, Gansu.
Recently, Gansu Tianshui Malatang has become popular on online platforms, attracting many tourists from all over the country to taste it.
Photo by Jiumei Danzeng
Reporter: Ding Si
Source: China News Service WeChat official account