How much ＂unexpected＂ can a bowl of Gansu mala Tang hold？

　　Potato chips, meatballs, gluten, crystal clear Dingxi noodles, and a mixture of various vegetables, after being cooked, are taken out, evenly covered with fragrant oil and spicy seeds, and sucked into the mouth … This bowl of "YOLO" mala Tang, originally the secret pleasure of Gansu people’s taste buds, has now become a "national snack" pursued by the whole network and continues to be hot.

　　Why is this bowl of mala Tang so popular in Gansu? Since ancient times, desert, Gobi, frontier fortress, camel and drought have become the "stereotype" of Gansu. This sudden explosion of fire is somewhat "unexpected", but in fact it is "expected".

　　Dingxi, Gansu, the "hometown of potatoes in China": supporting half of Mala Tang.

　　Vermicelli is undoubtedly the "C position" of this bowl of mala Tang.

　　Compared with the instant noodles and soft vermicelli contained in mala Tang in other areas, the potato flour of Gansu Mala Tang can be described as "different in shape", with wide powder, leek leaf powder, fine powder, vermicelli and so on, and "Dingxi wide powder", just like the generous mind of people in Longzhong, best reflects the heroism of northwest food.

　　"Dingxi Kuanfen" is well-known in the market for its "spicy, slippery, strong, transparent, fragrant and refreshing". In 2023, there were 120 processing entities of Dingxi Kuanfen, with a production capacity of over 200,000 tons and sales exceeding 3 billion yuan. In April 2023, "Dingxi Kuanfen" successfully registered the national geographical indication certification trademark. "Small and wide powder" is developing vigorously towards the "big industry" with an unprecedented momentum.

　　Dingxi kuanfen is derived from the high-quality potato in Dingxi, the "hometown of potatoes in China". Dingxi, located in the middle of Gansu, is famous for its potatoes, and it is popular with them. After more than 200 years of development, potatoes in the land of "Longzhong", accompanied Dingxi people through famine, solved food and clothing, got rid of poverty, became well-off in an all-round way, and embarked on the road of common prosperity. "There are three treasures in Dingxi, Gansu, potato and potato", which shows the pillar position of Dingxi potato.

　　Dingxi’s climate is cool, rainy and hot in the same season, the soil is loose and breathable, and the temperature difference between day and night is large. Thanks to this special soil and climate condition, the potatoes produced are golden and bright, full of porcelain, mellow in taste, resistant to transportation and storage, high in dry matter, and rich in potassium and vitamins. From simple cooking, burning, frying and steaming in ordinary farmers to fine cooking in high-end restaurants, they can all make "delicious on the tip of the tongue"

　　Dingxi potatoes also appear in the form of "potato chips" and "potato balls", which not only become the "overlord" in hot pot, but also become an indispensable staple food for Gansu Mala Tang because of its soft and long taste.

　　Low-key "vegetable basket" Gansu: Let Mala Tang be fresh in four seasons.

　　Cauliflower, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, bamboo shoots, celery, Chinese cabbage, baby cabbage, kale, carrots and other vegetables are also one of the protagonists of this popular mala Tang. Most of these fresh vegetables are grown locally in Gansu.

　　When it comes to Gansu, which is dry and short of water, it is impossible to connect green vegetables with it. In fact, Gansu not only has many kinds of vegetables, but also has high quality. Gansu is a low-key "vegetable basket", and it is also an important base for "transferring western food to the east" and "transporting northern food to the south" in China. In 2023, the planting area of vegetables in Gansu province reached 9.85 million mu, the output reached 29.55 million tons, and the output value of the whole industrial chain reached 99 billion yuan.

　　Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province, is also the three major export-oriented vegetable regions and export vegetable production bases in China. It transports fresh vegetables to all parts of the country for half a year every year, and promotes the products to sell well in more than 100 wholesale markets in more than 60 large and medium-sized cities in more than 20 provinces (cities), directly to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and also exported to more than 10 countries such as Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. Especially, the main producing area of "Natsuna in Lanzhou Plateau" with Yuzhong County as the core area has become one of the main bases of "transporting northern cuisine to the south" and "transferring western cuisine to the east" in China.

　　Tracing back to the source, Gansu is located at the intersection of the Loess Plateau, the Inner Mongolia Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, belonging to the Yellow River, the Yangtze River and the inland river, with a depth of 16 longitudes, 10 latitudes and 4 climatic zones, and an altitude drop of more than 5,000 meters, which breeds the green organic characteristics of agricultural products. At present, there are 2290 green, organic and geographical indication agricultural products in the province.

　　The brand of "Ganwei" is shaped by the brand green and organic background, and casts the soul with the brand concept of "honest Gansu authentic Ganwei", and gradually becomes flourishing and lush, and stands out.

　　"Sweet" Gold Signature Pepper and Zanthoxylum bungeanum: Retaining the Soul of Mala Tang

　　In the words of netizens, the essence of Tianshui Mala Tang in Gansu lies in the rich and fresh fragrance of oily spicy seeds. Tianshui oil spicy seeds have a strong appearance, but the spicy taste is not sharp. "It is mainly fragrant, spicy in the middle, and spicy in the fragrance." Tianshui Gangu pepper is the best choice, and there is no one.

　　In Gangu, nothing can be done without spicy food. Gangu pepper has been planted for at least 400 years, with bright color, thick meat and rich oil, slender corners, uniform wrinkles and strong spicy flavor, which has many functions such as appetizing, strengthening the spleen, caring skin and improving eyesight.

　　Gangu County, the hometown of pepper in China, is one of the earliest counties for pepper cultivation in China. Due to the unique natural conditions such as soil and climate, the pepper meat in Gangu is thick and oily, and the aromatic substances are more abundant. Grinding dried chili into flour, the hot oil is spicy and does not burn the burner, which is the legendary "god’s material" to accompany the meal.

　　In 2023, the county’s pepper planting area reached 56,000 mu, with a total output of 130,000 tons and an output value of about 350 million yuan, basically forming an integrated management system of market, storage, processing, transportation and e-commerce. At present, there are 9 leading enterprises in pepper production, management and sales, and 7 sets of advanced production and processing equipment have been introduced, with an annual sales of 12,000 tons of pepper products and a sales income of 250 million. Pepper in this county is also favored by the international market. More than 60 varieties, mainly line peppers, are exported to more than 20 countries and regions.

　　The wonderful taste of Gansu mala Tang is not only due to the pungent oil; In the seasoning stage, sprinkle a handful of pepper noodles on mala Tang, adding a touch of strength to the spicy taste, with endless aftertaste.

　　Zanthoxylum bungeanum is an economic tree species in Gansu, which is second only to apples and walnuts in cultivation area. Wudu District of Longnan City is the first batch of "the hometown of China’s famous and excellent economic forest Zanthoxylum bungeanum". Among the main Zanthoxylum bungeanum producing areas in China, Wudu Zanthoxylum bungeanum ranks first in terms of area, yield, quality and farmers’ income.

　　Unexpected Gansu: Not only this bowl of mala Tang

　　From the perspective of physical geography, Gansu is a very special region. East monsoon region, northwest arid region and Qinghai-Tibet alpine region, the three natural divisions of China meet here. We can feel the drought and desolation of the western desert, the "high cold" of the snowy plateau, and the humidity like a water town in the south of the Yangtze River. Different climatic and topographical conditions are mixed together, which doomed the variety of Gansu.

　　Qingyang Noodles, Tianshui Slurry Surface, Liujiaxia Yellow River Carp, Gannan Tibetan Bag, Jingyuan Lamb, Minqin Honeydew Melon, Dunhuang Donkey Yellow Noodles … Different natural environment features in different regions of Gansu Province have also formed local distinctive food culture, making this northwest inland province a "food paradise".

　　Spring planting and autumn harvest, the northwest people who have cultivated this land from generation to generation, will be full of sincerity and simplicity, loaded in this bowl of mala Tang, waiting for more people to go here and find it more unexpected.

　　Reporter: Ding Si

　　Source: China News Service WeChat WeChat official account