Lijiang, Yunnan Province — Naxi minority tradition
Naxi baba (丽江粑粑) is the unleavened flatbread of the Naxi people of Lijiang, northern Yunnan — made from wheat flour, sesame, and in some versions, lard or nuts. Cooked on a flat clay griddle over low heat, the baba is dense, slightly chewy, and subtly fragrant from sesame. It is the staple carbohydrate of the Naxi people and is eaten with yak butter tea, fermented vegetables, and dried meats.
Wheaty, nutty from sesame; dense and filling; slightly toasted exterior; designed for sustenance rather than delicacy
{"Dough: wheat flour and water only; unleavened — simple grain character is the point","Sesame seeds incorporated throughout the dough, not just on surface","Roll into flat disc 1–1.5cm thickness — thin versions cook too quickly and become hard","Cook on dry clay griddle at very low heat: 10–15 minutes per side","Done when surface is golden and interior sounds hollow when tapped"}
{"Some Naxi baba are large (30cm diameter) — cooked slowly and eaten throughout the day","Crumbled into warm yak butter tea creates a thick, nutritious breakfast porridge","Naxi baba keeps for 3–5 days — it was designed as travel food for traders on the Tea Horse Road"}
{"High heat — exterior crisps before interior cooks through","Too thin — becomes a cracker rather than a bread","Leavening — the dense, substantial character is intentional for a cold-climate working food"}
Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper — Fuchsia Dunlop