Gourmet Cook from the Silk Road: Ma Hua

The Silk Road, which dates back to the Western Han dynasty (202 BC–8 AD), was an intercontinental network of trade routes that originated from the then capital city of Chang'an (modern-day Xi'an). It passed through Gansu and Xinjiang towards Central and Western Asia before eventually linking with several Mediterranean countries.

The most indispensable of all commodities for people doing business, seeking accommodation, traveling, and engaging in cultural exchange along the Silk Road was gourmet food. Silk Road cuisine reflects the culture and history of the various regions it connected as well as their unique local customs, religious beliefs, ingredients, and cooking techniques. This cuisine, though widely beloved, continues to be the trade route's unsung hero.

Ma spent her childhood in Gansu. Cooking has been a part of her family trade for generations, and they specialize in Lanzhou Beef Noodles. When she was still a child, her grandfather would bathe and perform the Fajr every morning before making the soup, which contributed to her understanding of Northwestern people's reverence towards the noodles. To this day, experiencing that familiar taste remains akin to a religious experience for her.

In making noodles, Ma remains true to the techniques that have been passed down to her. These include tamping, kneading, stretching, and slamming, all of which are meant to make the noodles more chewy. Five-hundred grams of dough, once folded and stretched up to eight times, can produce 256 noodles up to a cumulative length of 1,260 feet (384 meters). Varied techniques can produce noodles of different sizes and thickness.

This unique beverage is a popular treat in the Hexi Corridor. The local Liguang apricot endows the beverage with a natural fragrance, and the strict production process gives it a wonderful flavor. If there is one thing everyone is in agreement on, it is the sour, sweet, and refreshing taste of this tea. One can easily envision people from a thousand years ago gulping down this beverage before leading their camels into the desert.

This dish is composed of numerous exquisite ingredients, including top-grade Liaoning sea cucumber, fish maw, abalone, morel, and saffron. After an elaborate cooking process in which the heat is perfectly controlled, all of the ingredients are gathered in one pot, similar to the variegated and unique Silk Road.

Hu Baozhen, the cook who created Halal Palace Roasted Duck, is often referred to as "Duck Hu". His technique and the dish he created are considered a piece of modern cultural heritage that has lasted to the present day. The glistening, crispy skin of the roasted duck resembles a red date in color, while the plump, multi-layered meat is fatty without being the least bit greasy. It is one of China's signature halal foods.

In 2017, the finest noodles China has to offer, Lanzhou Beef Noodles, appeared in the National Day banquet held by the Chinese Consulate in Turkey. In the cooking competition among 21 countries, Western Mahua represented China and won the championship. During the competition, Western Mahua showcased the beloved noodles' and Halal Palace Roasted Duck's 100-year and 600-year histories respectively.

In the 2018 Walking Reunion Dinner on Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve event in Cairo, Egypt, Ma led an eight-person team, including six professional chefs from Western Mahua, in presenting a healthy and nourishing Chinese state banquet.

Ma has dedicated herself to keeping Silk Road cuisine alive. Over the past 10 years, she has tirelessly strived to find and revitalize its authentic flavors. Her influence has reached Turkey, Egypt, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Greece, and many other countries. One day, perhaps the delicacies found along the Silk Road will return to people's dinner tables.