A taste of Baotou

Located in the western part of Inner Mongolia autonomous region and adjacent to the Republic of Mongolia to its north and the Yellow River to its south, Baotou is the largest city in the autonomous region and an important transport hub.

Known as the “steel city in the grassland” and the “capital of rare earth,” Baotou boasts a variety of high-quality mineral resources. It contains many large storage facilities, making it an ideal place to harvest natural resources. 74 different minerals ranging from metals to rare earth have been found in Baotou, making it a world-level rare earth industrial cluster.

In addition to rich minerals, Baotou is also home to Mongolian food.

Baotou specialties are mainly represented by beef, mutton and a variety of noodles. Many featured restaurants and delicacies are found in Gangtie Street, which is dubbed “the first street beyond the Great Wall”. There are also some snack booths at the intersection of Huancheng Road and Nanmenwai Street, offering all kinds of snacks with favorable prices.

Camel hooves are a special kind of delicacy in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and just as famous as China's legendary bear paws. [Photo/Weibo.com]

Camel hooves are a special kind of delicacy in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and just as famous as China's legendary bear paws. As early as the Han Dynasty (206 -220 BC), "camel hoof soup" was considered fit for royalty.

The vast desert and steppe areas of Mongolia are a natural home for camels, which are tall and muscular and both their humps and hooves can be used in cuisine.

The hump has long been regarded a real treasure, for smooth texture and rich taste, while the hoof is known for its effect on people's muscle and bones.

Cabbage is often served with braised camel hoof, which, with meat and vegetables, is undeniably the best tonic in autumn or winter.