HALAL FOOD IN CHINA
(Tinjauan semasa di Beijing, China)
Islam was introduced into China officially in 651 in the Tang Dynasty. Arabic traders married Chinese wives and a new ethnic group of Muslim Hui People was formed since then. General speaking, descendants of the intermarriage between Arabic and Chinese and Chinese who had been converted into Islam were the first group of Hui People (also called Huihui in ancient China). When the Muslim Hui ethnic group was formed, Chinese Halal food history started. In Western China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Halal food maintains primarily Middle East flavour while in East China, Halal food is mostly Chinese flavour.
It was recorded that Chinese Halal food appeared as early as in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Chinese Halal food became influential during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) due to the fact that many Muslim soldiers were stationed in various parts of China. Some of the Halal snacks were even served in the Imperial court of Yuan and Qing Dynasties. Some of the time-honoured Halal food names appeared in the Qing Dynasty. Yueshengzhai (most famous Halal food brand in Beijing) was opened in 1775 when it mainly sold spiced beef and mutton. With some Chinese herbs such as clove and fructus amomi added under the help of imperial doctors, Yueshengzhai spiced beef and mutton became well-known in Being not only for its great taste, but also for its nutrition and health functions.
The staple food of Hui people is food made from wheat flower. When receiving distinguished guests, celebration of new born baby, wedding, during festivals of Hari Raya Puasa and Qurban, Hui Muslims will eat traditional food of Youxiang (a kind of fried bread). It is also very common to find all kinds of noodles made of wheat flower in Hui cuisine such as beef noodles, mutton noodles. Lanzhou beef noodles are well known all across China.
Xinjiang Uyghur cuisine which is known for cooking lamb kebabs and handmade noodles is another wide-spread Halal food in China which can be found in all cities in China. Xinjiang Uyghur cuisine is characterized by mutton, beef, chicken, onions. The primary dishes of Xinjiang Uyghur cuisine include boiled hand-made noodles with beef, mutton and vegetables; kebabs of beef or lamb and Zhuafan (Rice Eaten with Hands) which is cooked with ingredients from fresh mutton, carrot, vegetable oil and rice. The staple food of Xinjiang Uyghur cuisine is Naan or Nang in Chinese, a kind of bread cooked with sesame seeds, butter, vegetable oil and salt. Naan comes in more than 10 varieties and is roasted in a special oven which is made of mud and earth otherwise the process is similar to cooking pancakes.
To run a Halal restaurant in China, Halal certificate is required. Usually Halal certificate can be obtained from the local Ethnic and Religious Affair’s Office of the city after necessary inspections. In some areas, Halal certificate is issued by mosques.
Since China is not a Muslim country, it is hard for halal restaurants to survive if they don’t serve wines because most diners are non-Muslims. It is very common to see wines served at Halal restaurants in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen in China. However, in Northwest China’s Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxi Hui Autonomous Region where you will see a large Muslim population, Halal restaurants are very strict on alcohol. Wines strictly prohibited at Halal restaurants in those provinces.
There are three terms that appear often while discussing halal food: they are halal, haram and mushbooh. If a food or product is halal, it is permissible for a Muslim to eat. Haram food is absolutely unacceptable for a Muslim person to consume. Between these two absolute terms is mushbooh---a gray area for Muslims, because it is unclear whether the product is halal or haram. In this instance, the decision to consume the food is a personal choice.
(Tinjauan semasa di Beijing, China)
Islam was introduced into China officially in 651 in the Tang Dynasty. Arabic traders married Chinese wives and a new ethnic group of Muslim Hui People was formed since then. General speaking, descendants of the intermarriage between Arabic and Chinese and Chinese who had been converted into Islam were the first group of Hui People (also called Huihui in ancient China). When the Muslim Hui ethnic group was formed, Chinese Halal food history started. In Western China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Halal food maintains primarily Middle East flavour while in East China, Halal food is mostly Chinese flavour.
It was recorded that Chinese Halal food appeared as early as in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Chinese Halal food became influential during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) due to the fact that many Muslim soldiers were stationed in various parts of China. Some of the Halal snacks were even served in the Imperial court of Yuan and Qing Dynasties. Some of the time-honoured Halal food names appeared in the Qing Dynasty. Yueshengzhai (most famous Halal food brand in Beijing) was opened in 1775 when it mainly sold spiced beef and mutton. With some Chinese herbs such as clove and fructus amomi added under the help of imperial doctors, Yueshengzhai spiced beef and mutton became well-known in Being not only for its great taste, but also for its nutrition and health functions.
The staple food of Hui people is food made from wheat flower. When receiving distinguished guests, celebration of new born baby, wedding, during festivals of Hari Raya Puasa and Qurban, Hui Muslims will eat traditional food of Youxiang (a kind of fried bread). It is also very common to find all kinds of noodles made of wheat flower in Hui cuisine such as beef noodles, mutton noodles. Lanzhou beef noodles are well known all across China.
Xinjiang Uyghur cuisine which is known for cooking lamb kebabs and handmade noodles is another wide-spread Halal food in China which can be found in all cities in China. Xinjiang Uyghur cuisine is characterized by mutton, beef, chicken, onions. The primary dishes of Xinjiang Uyghur cuisine include boiled hand-made noodles with beef, mutton and vegetables; kebabs of beef or lamb and Zhuafan (Rice Eaten with Hands) which is cooked with ingredients from fresh mutton, carrot, vegetable oil and rice. The staple food of Xinjiang Uyghur cuisine is Naan or Nang in Chinese, a kind of bread cooked with sesame seeds, butter, vegetable oil and salt. Naan comes in more than 10 varieties and is roasted in a special oven which is made of mud and earth otherwise the process is similar to cooking pancakes.
To run a Halal restaurant in China, Halal certificate is required. Usually Halal certificate can be obtained from the local Ethnic and Religious Affair’s Office of the city after necessary inspections. In some areas, Halal certificate is issued by mosques.
Since China is not a Muslim country, it is hard for halal restaurants to survive if they don’t serve wines because most diners are non-Muslims. It is very common to see wines served at Halal restaurants in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen in China. However, in Northwest China’s Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxi Hui Autonomous Region where you will see a large Muslim population, Halal restaurants are very strict on alcohol. Wines strictly prohibited at Halal restaurants in those provinces.
There are three terms that appear often while discussing halal food: they are halal, haram and mushbooh. If a food or product is halal, it is permissible for a Muslim to eat. Haram food is absolutely unacceptable for a Muslim person to consume. Between these two absolute terms is mushbooh---a gray area for Muslims, because it is unclear whether the product is halal or haram. In this instance, the decision to consume the food is a personal choice.
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