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Jiuzhaigou offers not only breathtaking scenery but also intoxicating wine. The Tibetan and Qiang people are known for their warm and uninhibited character, a quality reflected in their culinary culture. Local specialties primarily focus on beef and mutton, though the Tibetan and Qiang peoples prepare them slightly differently: Tibetans primarily smoke and grill meats, complemented by drinks like barley wine, butter tea, and yogurt; the Qiang people prefer spicy and sour meat dishes and animal offal. Meanwhile, the Han Chinese primarily enjoy Sichuan cuisine.
Since most of the supplies are shipped in from outside, the price of food is very expensive. It is recommended that tourists do not worry about the issue of food. In local hotels, you can taste potato tsampa, Jiuzhai persimmon cakes, buckwheat cakes, Jiuzhai sauerkraut noodles and other flavors.
Ethnic foods include roasted whole lamb, hand-pulled steak, mixed noodles, potato rice cakes, and highland barley wine. Each accommodation offers local ethnic food, but it's quite expensive. Most of the food here is Tibetan-style, which may not suit mainland Chinese palates, so choose carefully.
Tsampa, similar to fried noodles in mainland China, is the staple food of Tibetans. Made from ingredients like barley, peas, and oats, it's a staple food for Tibetans, whether they're working in the fields, herding in the mountains, or traveling. Tsampa is easy to carry and cooked, making it a convenient, affordable, and practical food in the vast, sparsely populated, and fuel-scarce pastoral areas.
Tsampa is usually kneaded into a ball by hand and eaten directly by hand. In addition to the main ingredients, ghee, sugar, highland barley wine, etc. are also used to make it. However, it may not suit the taste of mainlanders, so just give it a try.
The main ingredients for butter tea are butter and milk, and walnuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, eggs, and salt can also be added. These ingredients are placed in a mixing bowl, and tea water is boiled until it turns brownish-red before being poured in. After stirring for a while, a bucket of fragrant butter tea is ready. The finished butter tea is usually poured into a large pot and placed over a low fire to keep it warm.
Highland barley wine is an indispensable beverage in Tibetan life, a top choice for celebrating festivals and entertaining guests. Barley or wheat is cleaned and cooked, then fermented with koji. After several days, the wine becomes a light yellowish, sour yet sweet drink, often called "Tibetan beer." There are many varieties of highland barley wine, from high-proof baijiu (white liquor) to low-proof versions.
Blood sausage is a top-notch food in the Tibetan diet. It is an honor to treat distinguished guests with blood sausage. Made from sausage casings, blood juice, spices, and yak meat (or pork), blood sausage is nutritious and delicious.
Highland barley cakes are made by mixing and baking highland barley flour. They are golden in color and sweet and delicious.
Pickled cabbage noodles are a traditional Tibetan dish. To make it, first add pickled cabbage, then locally smoked bacon or fresh yak meat, potatoes, noodles, salt, and green onions. Cook until done.
Yak meat is a very common food in Tibetan areas. There are dried yak meat, braised yak meat, and various dishes made with fresh yak meat.
Buckwheat flour can be used to make a variety of delicious foods, such as buckwheat buns and buckwheat noodles. A bowl of beef buckwheat noodles with some side dishes, though simple, has an authentic Tibetan flavor.
Potatoes are also known as yangya, and yangya ciba is made from them. First, boil the potatoes, peel them, and mash them into a sticky, semi-dry paste. Then, cut them into chunks and cook them with sauerkraut and water, then serve them with chili peppers or honey. It's a delicious dish.
Yogurt: Boil milk, pour it into a wooden barrel, add a small amount of old yogurt as a starter, and control the temperature between 30-40°C to make it. Yogurt resembles soft tofu and has a fragrant aroma with a sweet and sour taste.
The restaurant is located at the entrance of Jiuzhaigou. The food is delicious and they also offer local wild vegetables from Jiuzhaigou. The taste is refreshing and worth a try. The restaurant environment is good and the decoration is very romantic.
Address: Entrance of Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area
Contact: 0837-7739066
The boiled yak meat inside is very spicy and very flavorful. Those who can eat spicy food should try it.
Address: Pengfeng Village, Jiuzhaigou County
Contact: 0837-7764138
It's a very small shop, people who like barbecue can come and try it.
Address: Near the entrance of Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area