Cuisine is a direct reflection of property, climate, lifestyle, and even economic conditions of an area. The Xilin Gol grassland in north China's Inner Mongolia is not only a fascinating landscape; its cuisine is also unique.
　
Although food in different regions of Inner Mongolia owns its characteristics, anywhere you go, a plate of hand served mutton must be the standard Mongolian meal.

"The quality of the mutton depends on the environment the sheep live in, the breed, gender, and age of sheep. Good mutton comes with a natural aroma. The simplest methods will bring out the best characteristics of the meat itself. Mongolians like to cook it medium well, and they love meat with healthy fat. When this kind of meat is sliced with a Mongolian knife, there is a layer of white and a layer of red, having a rich taste, and sweet aroma." With this introduction, the piece of mutton has become an unforgettable memory.

"The Mongolian people have engaged in hunting throughout history, mainly for food. After they began keeping domestic animals, they would eat hunted game but also the meat and milk from their own livestock," Namu Jila Qiren, vice president of the Xilin Gol Vocational College and president of the Xilin Gol Mongolian Cuisine and Culture Association said. According to him, "The traditional Mongolian diet is divided into red food and white food: ‘white food' refers to milk and other dairy products; ‘red food' refers to meat products."

As Xilin Gol is composed of four tribes, it has different food culture in different tribes due to different environments.

As a native from Xilin Gol , Namu Jila Qiren has grown up with Mongolian food. "When I was young, meat and dairy production was relatively simple, but fully reflected the characteristics of Mongolian food," he said. "First, the natural ingredients, and second, the cooking methods pay attention to the fresh taste of the food. Aside from salt and a little bit of onions, there are no other seasonings or additives." Namu Jila Qiren said that Mongolian food is becoming more refined now. Through innovation, today there are more and more types of Mongolian food.