Food in Hetian belongs to Xinjiang style and features strong Uyghur ethnic characteristics. The most typical dishes include roast mutton, kebabs, roast fish and rice to be eaten with the hand.

Roast Mutton
Xinjiang roast mutton is as famous as Beijing roast duck. A two-year-old sheep is slaughtered and skinned, daubed with salt inside and outside, then coated with a mixture of eggs, chopped ginger and scallions and pepper. The sheep is put in to a stove to roast for about an hour until it turns golden brown.

Xinjiang Kebabs
Xinjiang kebabs are a kind of snack that is popular all round China. Kebabs can be found in the streets and bazaars everywhere in most of the cities in Xinjiang. Chunks of mutton are strung on a skewer and roasted over charcoal. The kebabs are turned continually and when they are almost done, salt, pepper and other kinds of ingredients are sprinkled on them. In the end, kebabs are crispy outside and tender inside, slightly salty and hot without any unpleasant smell.

Roast Dumplings & Rice Eaten with the Hands
It is also a special dish in the local area. The Uyghurs often eat them together with Nang (crusty pancakes) and rice to be eaten with the hand.

The materials for making rice eaten with the hand include fresh mutton, carrots, onions, vegetable oil, melted sheeps fat, rice, etc. There are more than 10 kinds of this rice dish, mainly mutton, chicken and vegetarian, but the most common is mutton. The dish tastes soft, delicious and very fresh. It is a dish that the Uyhgurs usually have on festivals, funerals and weddings.

Nang (Pancake)
Nang is a staple food for the Uygurs, just like steamed bread in northern China, rice in southern China and bread in Western counties. Making a nang is similar to making a pancake. The materials include wheat flour, corn flour or sorghum flour, with such seasoning as sesame seeds, onions, eggs, vegetable oil, butter, milk, salt and sugar. With a golden yellow surface, nang are crispy and delicious.

Pulled Noodles
Pulled noodles are very popular all around the country. To go with the noodles, deep-fried mutton, stir-fried eggs and tomatoes, and stir-fried chilies and mutton are prepared. The noodles are pliable and tough, smooth and delicious. Another method is to cut the noodles into four-cm sections after boiling, and then stir fry together with fat, mutton, tomatoes and chilies. The taste is totally different from that of boiled noodles.