Wheat flatbread crumbles turn into dumplings in this Chinese lamb soup.

In Northern China, Xian is the start of the Silk Road.  The cuisine here changes from what you’d expect from typical Chinese food. Most notably, the staple grain rice is replaced by wheat. Here you’ll try thick chewy noodles more often than rice.

Steamed wheat flatbread, or "Muslim" bread, in whole and crumbled form.

The most interesting dish I’ve found so far has been yangrou paomo.  It’s a mutton  soup that traveled along the Silk Road to Xian. It’s influenced by Arabic cuisine.

Braised lamb and wheat bread dumplings

Yangrou Paomo is special because of the “dumplings” inside. You’re given an unleavened steamed circular loaf made of wheat flour.  This is sold everywhere as “Muslim” bread. It tastes a bit like a pretzel, but less salty and without a chewy browned skin. You’re supposed to crumble this bread into your bowl, where it will then be covered by braised lamb, a savory broth, and glass noodles.  Garnishes include hot pepper paste, cilantro, and pickled garlic cloves.

Crumble the bread before adding the rest of your soup.

I had been afraid that the bread would become mushy. However, I found the bread soaked up most of the broth, but because it had been  steamed, the bits became almost pasta-like in texture. 

Without a kitchen, I can’t recreate the recipe for you. However, if you’d like to try it, here is what could work: Crumble the Muslim bread or stale dense pita bread into a bowl. Braise lamb until it falls off the bone, adding garlic, onions, and ginger to the braising liquid. Remove the bones and spice the broth with salt, pepper, and cumin. Add glass noodles to the hot broth and cook until they are just done. Finally, pour the soup over the bread crumbles, and garnish with pickled garlic, garlic, and red pepper paste. If you try this, please let me know what recipe you choose to use…it’s delicious!

Soup awaiting broth in the Muslim Quarter food market, Xian.