Eating in Xi'an

So, I weighed myself after yoga yesterday. Since being in China I've put on 6lbs. ugh.. how could this be? I walk everyday for miles and miles. granted I don't do much hard exercise, but still how can this be?
well, it's because the food here is pretty freaking amazing. It's tasty, cheap, and everywhere. This blog post was going to be about being around Xi'an but then I saw that all my pics were of food so it's now changing to an eating in Xi'an post.

This was breakfast one day. It's sort of like a hot and sour soup, but slightly different. Super delicious

You'd eat it with this fried bread/pancake thing. sort of like if you ordered a scallion pancake in american chinese restaurants.

Xi'an is known for it's pita breads. The Hui (chinese muslims) have a huge population in Xi'an and have really helped to shape a lot of the cuisine in this town.

This is roujiamo. it's a meat (usually pork or mutton) stuffed into a pita. around 60cents for one sandwich, you can't really go wrong.

I don't know the name of this, but i think heavenly could be a good name. It's a noodle dish where they cover the noodles in these different sauces and veggies. add chili and let it soak.

breakfast. the bread on the far right is sliced and stuffed with the meat (far left) sprouts (middle) and chili's (green and red on right). sometimes an egg is added. around 15 or 30 cents. This is totally how i gained weight!

Breakfast. Walnut milk, sandwich from before picture and steamed buns!

My first Yangrou Paomo. You take a pita and pick it apart to small pieces. then add noodles, veggies, and mutton. let soak. eat. Incredibly tasty.

Fenzhengrou. steamed mutton and wheat mixed together. I couldn't get enough of this. It reminded me of something I used to eat as a kid. I think it actually sort of reminded me of my Bubbie's kishka, except this wasn't stuffed in a casing shell.

Fried stuffed meat pies.

A local favorite noodle dish. Cold buckwheat noodles in sesame and chili sauces. Not my favorite but Cindy, my host for the eating-capades that night, really loves this dish.

A flour type dish (maybe like white pudding) roasted on a stick. We all know foods on sticks increase their taste 10 fold.

Sheep feet, soaked in chili. Well, they are messy for one thing. Tasty, no doubt, but I'd rather have a pigs foot as it's easier to eat. though, these are more fun to play with.

A fried flour fish and random meat balls. I actually didn't eat this, just liked how it looked. I didn't eat it only because I was BEYOND full.

Yangrou Paomo round two. This time I went to a spot I heard was known for the dish. Good call. This one was SUPER DUPER FUCKING AMAZING tasting. I want to learn how to make this for when I come home. I'll make it for you next time you're in town :) I also ordered some lotus root and pickled chili cabbage here. sort of like an early start of where kimchi came from.

So when I got the Yangrou Paomo I think I sat with the owner of the restaurant as I noticed that various staff kept talking with her through my meal. Also she bought me a bunch of these skewers. Not sure what it was. Looked like crab stick, tasted like fat soaked in sesame. Either way I like getting free food!

Various cakes. most being sesame or peanut based. Also rose flavoring was very common. Clearly indicative of the muslim influence.

Hello you tasty thing. a persimmon cake. the addition of the slight rose flavoring was really a nice touch. A bit oily for my style, but eating them warm really intensifies the flavor.

Finally!! a food I REALLY didn't like. This was a bean type cake with dates. I honestly couldn't find anything tasty in it. I ended up giving mine to a homeless guy on the street. However, next to her stall you can see a man with a carton in his hand. he sells a sticky rice that had a rose flavored sauce sandwiched inside it. This, this i liked.