Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region has successfully leveraged its unique cuisine to drive rural development, forging a "path to wealth" in recent years.

Local specialty foods have spurred economic growth and allowed residents to immerse themselves in the ambience of the Year of the Snake. Among them, nuanguo, a traditional hotpot from Longde county in Guyuan city, has evolved from a symbol of family reunions into a thriving industry.

Ahead of the Year of the Snake, the county hosted a nuanguo tasting event at Longquanyuan Square, drawing large crowds, including children captivated by the dish's unique charm.

"The making of nuanguo emphasizes layering different ingredients. The bottom layer consists of fresh dried radish slices and Chinese cabbage. The middle layers include meatballs, noodles made from beans or sweet potatoes, followed by tofu, pork ribs and mushrooms, while thin slices of fried meat form the top layer," said Jin Bo, vice-president of the Longde Nuanguo Association.

With unified and strict quality management standards across the entire supply chain — from raw material procurement and transportation to processing and final production — the association has established the regional group brand Longde Nuanguo.

Liupanyuan is one of the 15 nuanguo enterprises under the association. "We currently operate seven stores, consuming around 3,000 pigs annually. There is also high demand for radishes, bean- or sweet potato-based noodles and tofu," said Li Xin, founder of Liupanyuan.

The company plans to collaborate with local farmers to promote organic planting and ecological breeding, which will not only enhance agricultural product quality, but also provide stable income for farmers, Li said.

"Using Longde nuanguo to develop industries and boost local incomes has always been our goal," he added.

Last year, agricultural-related investments in the county reached 409 million yuan ($56.2 million), with 83 percent allocated to specialty industries. The county also hosted 89 events, such as the "May Day Nuanguo to Boost Consumption" initiative to promote agriculture, culture, tourism and sports, according to a government work report released during the sixth session of the 18th local people's congress of Longde.

"The annual number of tourists and total domestic tourism expenditure increased 22 percent and 13 percent, respectively, compared to the previous year," the report stated.

In Balanghu village, located in Malianqu township of Wuzhong city, sales of youxiang — a type of fried pastry — have also fueled the rural economy.

In July 2023, Ma Haifeng, the village's Party secretary, organized a group of stay-at-home women to transform an abandoned primary school into a food processing workshop through a village-enterprise cooperation project.

The workshop, named Mom's Youxiang, allows these women to use their traditional snack-making skills to create a series of nostalgic dishes reminiscent of homemade rural food.

On Jan 18, they received an order for 100 boxes of youxiang after live-streaming about the product. The workshop swiftly arranged delivery of the freshly made pastries to households across the country.

"Although I inherited my mother's craftsmanship, I never thought I could make money with this skill," said Tian Yuan, a 38-year-old woman who works at Mom's Youxiang.

Five women have secured stable employment at the workshop, earning around 130 yuan per day, with an annual income of nearly 40,000 yuan, Ma said.

"The village received a 2.6-million-yuan fund from a rural vitalization project launched by the central government last year. Thanks to this support, our small workshop has expanded into a major enterprise with two factory buildings," she said.

Liangpi, a type of cold noodle dish from Dawukou district in Shizuishan city, is another Ningxia specialty that has gained popularity for its unique production techniques and flavors.

"The liangpi business is thriving, with sales expanding both online and offline. It has also become my career," said Wang Lu, owner of Sijiwang Liangpi Restaurant.

"During Chinese New Year, a plate of liangpi and a few cold dishes are the most popular items on the dining table," Wang said.

To enhance the brand influence of Dawukou liangpi, the local government has adopted innovative measures, including collaborations with social media influencers and partnerships with brands such as the beverage Da Yao, aiming to establish a recognizable local specialty.