From bustling cities to remote villages, Chinese cuisine has quietly blossomed in Kazakhstan in recent years, winning widespread love among the local people.
"Shaanxi flavor" wafted to Almaty
Recently, He Cheng, president of the Shaanxi Chamber of Commerce in Kazakhstan, brought the authentic hometown taste to Almaty, Kazakhstan. "Shaanxi is the kingdom of noodles, and there are many delicacies. A bowl of steaming beef and mutton steamed buns is enough to comfort the homesick 'Chinese stomach' of overseas travelers, and it can also allow the people of Kazakhstan to feel the heroism and enthusiasm of Shaanxi people through food. ”
The oily noodles are spicy and strong, the noodles are rich in taste, and the meat buns are tender and juicy...... The mellow aroma of aged vinegar and the spicy flavor of chili peppers bring out the infinite flavor of the pasta, attracting many local diners. "On the first day of opening, cured beef buns were the most popular." He Cheng said that more and more local people are falling in love with Chinese food and will try to use chopsticks "according to local customs". They hope to have the opportunity to go to China and taste more authentic Chinese food.
Data map: Shaanxi specialty - oil and spicy seeds taken by Hao Lingyu
The exchange of gastronomic culture has benefited from the development of economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. He Cheng told reporters that Kazakhs love sweets, and special candies and delicate pastries have become the highlights of the Kazakh table. "Most of these desserts rely on traditional artisanal workshops, and the productivity is relatively low. After the introduction of advanced production machinery and equipment from China, the production of desserts is no longer limited by manpower and time, and the quality of products is more guaranteed. He said.
With the deepening of the Belt and Road Initiative, He Cheng also took the "free ride" of the China-Europe train to look for development opportunities. "Nowadays, relying on the China-Europe train, Chinese consumers can also taste honey, red wine, chocolate and other special delicacies from Kazakhstan, and the inventory is often booked." He said that he will continue to work hard to help the products of his hometown "go global", so that the people of Kazakhstan can understand the charm of Shaanxi.
Data map: A glimpse of Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan (photo by China News Service reporter Sheng Jiapeng)
The road to the "exotic bloom" of Chinese food
During the more than ten years of living in Almaty, Liu Fengcheng, the head of Shahan Group Company, felt the "exotic bloom" of Chinese food.
"When I first arrived in Almaty, local restaurants rarely sold fresh noodles. In a few restaurants, noodles tend to cook softly because they take too long. Even so, many locals fell in love with this unauthentic Chinese noodle. Liu Fengcheng said that in recent years, as Chinese food has taken root in the local area, the strong taste of fresh noodles has attracted a large number of diners to Chinese restaurants, and more and more local people have fallen in love with the authentic "Chinese taste".
Data map: Lanzhou ramen skills. Photo by Gao Zhan
Liu Fengcheng said that now Shaxian snacks and Lanzhou ramen often appear in the streets and alleys of Almaty, and some restaurants have fine-tuned according to the tastes of the locals, so that the food from the East can also glow with new vitality in foreign countries.
"Chinese hot pot is also very popular here, Beijing hot pot, Sichuan hot pot, there are more and more hot pot restaurants here." Liu Fengcheng said.
Data map: Shaxian County, Sanming City, Fujian Province, a dazzling array of dishes in the snack bar in Shaxian County.
In Almaty, find different cuisines of China
Bai Jing, a Chinese student in Kazakhstan, said that most of the people in Kazakhstan eat Western food, and the traditional diet is mostly pasta, including small bread and naan.
The picture shows Chinese food photographed by Bai Jing. (Photo courtesy of Bai Jing)
As more and more Chinese people traveled to Kazakhstan, there were more Chinese restaurants in the country.
Harbin Restaurant, Sichuan Restaurant, Xi'an Restaurant, Xinjiang Restaurant...... Almost all the different cuisines of China can be found in Almaty.
"There are a lot of foreign customers in Chinese restaurants, and they are all willing to accept Chinese food." Bai Jing said.
Author: Xu Wenxin, Jin Xu, Chen Meiyu
Editor: Wang Qin
Editor in charge: Ma Haiyan
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