🍽️ Qiang Barley Wine & Yak

Highland Qiang barley wine with yak.

Qiang Barley Wine with Yak is a traditional pairing of the highland area in the Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Aba, Sichuan. The 'za' wine is brewed from highland barley or wheat and sipped through thin bamboo tubes inserted into the jar—lightly sweet and low in alcohol—while yak meat is cut up and stewed or air-dried, strong in flavor, rich in protein, chewy and warming against the cold. On the cold plateau, locals commonly welcome guests with a jar of za wine and a pot of yak meat, the wine soothing and the meat warming to drive off chill. This pairing embodies the dietary wisdom of the Tibetan-Qiang highland peoples: grain for wine, meat for warmth. It is a highland flavor to experience when traveling in Aba and a staple at mountain-village festivals and gatherings.