Shashlick (羊肉串 Yangrouchuan)

The shashlick is an Arab snack very popular in the north and northwest of China, where there is a sizable Muslim population. Many vendors are seen making them at street corners, especially in the cities and towns of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

It is made of lean mutton cut into slices. These are stuck one after another on iron skewers, which are then arranged closely on a trough-like burner and grilled over a charcoal fire. When the mutton oozes juice, salt, chilli and aniseed powders are sprinkled on and the shashlicks are ready to eat. Served at a formal dinner, they are made in a more refined way, for example, coated with sesame seeds to enhance the taste.

The shashlick is known in English under various other names and spellings-shashlik, kabob, habab, kebab, kebob and cabob, among others.