At the table
Cut or bite off a small piece first; the filling may be hot. Ask which meat and vegetables are in today’s filling.
Contains meat and wheat flour. Soybean oil is used in this preparation; ask about seasonings and sauces if you have allergies.
Meat and vegetable combinations vary. Chives, cucumber and celery need not appear together. Ask about chili in the filling or dipping sauce.
GET TO KNOW THE DISH
What goes into it?
Explore some key ingredients below. Preparations may use additional seasonings and ingredients.
Vegetables vary and can include chives, cucumber or celery. A beef-and-celery version uses medium-gluten wheat flour.
Typical ingredients
In some versions
Recipes vary by restaurant.
How does it taste?
Savory
- Chili heat
- Heat not recorded
- Texture
- Crisp surface, thin soft wrapper
- How it’s made
- Wrap seasoned meat and vegetables in soft dough and pan-fry.
Vegetables vary and can include chives, cucumber or celery. A beef-and-celery version uses medium-gluten wheat flour.
A CONNECTION TO PLACE
Origin & regional roots
Associated with Liaoning.
Ask if they have it first
请问你们有牛庄馅饼吗？
Do you have this item?
A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ
Story & history
A thin wrapper and a generous filling
This account describes a tradition or story, rather than an established historical fact.
Niuzhuang pies from Haicheng are shaped with a small piece of soft dough around a generous meat-and-vegetable filling. They are flattened and turned on a heavy griddle to brown both sides. Vegetables change with the filling, so chives, cucumber and celery are alternatives rather than a fixed combination.