Xinjiang Pilaf (Po Lo Fan / Polo)
Xinjiang — shared culinary heritage with Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan)
Uyghur polo (pilaf): lamb, lamb fat, carrots, onions, and rice cooked together in a large cast iron kazan (cauldron). The foundational Uyghur celebratory dish, cooked at weddings, festivals, and communal gatherings. Fat rendered from lamb tail fat (kurda mai) is the authentic cooking medium — imparts unique flavour unavailable from any substitute.