The secret of Grandpa Abu's irresistible jar meat

URUMQI, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- At a bazaar in Kashgar, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China, customers were queuing up two hours before lunchtime to have a taste of Grandpa Abu's legendary jar meat.

Standing in front of rows of burning hot jars, Ablimit Yusup, affectionately known as Grandpa Abu, was busy stirring his delicious meaty soup and placing portions of lamb into the jars.

A typical day for Grandpa Abu starts at 8:00 a.m. To make the perfect jar meat, he chooses a lamb between the age of two and four years old. After processing the lamb, he removes about two thirds of the fat and places the lean meat together with sliced carrots, onions and tomatoes into a jar.

The cooking time depends on the lamb's age. A two-year-old lamb needs to be stewed for 30 minutes, while a four-year-old lamb requires 40 to 60 minutes.

"You need to make sure the temperature is not too high. Cook it gently to better extract the flavor," said Ablimit. "This nutritious dish is good for little kids as well as most senior citizens."

The cook takes out a seething jar with a pair of pliers, pours the clear soup into a bowl and places the tender meat on a plate. He carefully serves the mouthwatering dish at a table, kindly advising the customers "mind the heat," and returns to the stove for the next jar.

Jars can be found everywhere at Grandpa Abu's restaurant -- on the stove, on the tables, and even hung on the ceilings as decorations. Some of the jars have been used for half a century.

The 77-year-old man has been making his specialty dish since he was 15. He learned all of culinary techniques from his father, who had run the restaurant for over two decades.

The secret ingredient of Grandpa Abu's jar meat, which he inherited from his father, is nothing but honesty.

"My father had kept telling me to be an honest man since I was a child," said Ablimit.

He recalled an important moment when he first started learning to prepare the dish. To cut costs, he decided to purchase an aging sheep. However, his father, clearly displeased, gave him two slaps to his face, and demanded that he purchase a lamb instead.

"Those two slaps have awakened the honest part within me," said Ablimit.

With a large number of customers flocking to their eatery, Ablimit instructed his son Mirzaehmet to purchase more lamb and carrots. After making a few steps outside the door, Mirzaehmet heard his father run out and shout, "The lamb has to be fresh!"

When Mirzaehmet returned with fresh meat and vegetables, Ablimit nodded with a smile, and started to process the meat right away.

Ablimit sells around 400 orders a day. He doesn't get a break until midnight, a daily routine he has kept for over six decades. Although he has taught more than 40 apprentices how to make this meaty treat, and his children and grandchildren help out in his restaurant, the old master has no plans to retire just yet.

Receiving gourmets from across the country makes Ablimit happy. Some of the tourists show him reviews and photos of his restaurant they found online.

"I'm doing well. It's so boring at home. I'm at ease only when I work at the restaurant and see the customers enjoy my cooking," he said.