Photo taken on April 23, 2025 shows Adalat Sitiwaldi makes "Woer naan" with her mother.

Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Otkur Nijat) news: On April 23, 2025, Adiliti Siwailidi was placing the freshly made "Woer naan" into a steamer for cooking at a "Woer naan" specialty store in Tashipushika Village, Artux City, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. After about 10 minutes, "Woer naan," the specialty food of Artux, was freshly cooked.

Photo taken on April 23, 2025 shows Adalat Sitiwaldi makes "Woer naan."

"Woer naan" is a unique traditional delicacy from Artux, often served by locals to entertain friends and family. It is rich in nutrition, complemented by the savory flavors of coriander and yogurt. It is a culinary delight in Chinese food culture with strong ethnic characteristics. What’s more, it is not only easy to make, but also economical, requiring no expensive ingredients or seasonings.

Photo taken on April 23, 2025 shows "Woer naan," the specialty food from Artux City, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

To make "Woer Naan," you start by pouring flour into a basin or onto a dough board and add saltwater and knead it into a dough. Next, you should finely chop an appropriate amount of cilantro and mix it with milk skin and cooled oil, then roll out the dough into a thin sheet with a diameter of about one meter, ensuring even thickness. After that, you need to stir a small amount of yogurt into the raw milk skin, spread a layer of the mixture onto the dough sheet, then apply a bit of the cilantro-infused oil and roll the sheet into layers and place it on the steamer. Finally, you could steam it over high heat for about ten minutes until it's ready.

Photo taken on April 23, 2025 shows Rehangul Maihemuti, the sister-in-law of Adalat Sitiwaldi, introduces the Artux specialty food "Woer naan" on an online platform.

In 2023, the craft of making "Woer naan" was included in the representative list of intangible cultural heritage items of Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture. Adalat Sitiwaldi, as a representative inheritor of the prefecture-level intangible cultural heritage, has been learning the art of making "Woer naan" from her mother since the age of 15 and is now the third-generation inheritor of her family. She is dedicated to promoting the traditional delicacy to the market, encouraging the transition of the craft from subsistence to market-oriented. She has opened a specialty store for intangible cultural heritage "Woer naan" in Artux City, and registered a trademark for it. The products are sold to various rural homestays and catering establishments in Artux and Kashi, with daily orders reaching about 100 during the peak season.

"To meet the market demands and customer preferences, I have innovated by creating 'Woer naan' with fillings such as meat, carrots, and fruit, while preserving the traditional taste. These variations have been well-received by customers," Adalat Sitiwaldi said, "as the inheritor of the skill, my greatest wish is to promote the craft widely, so that more people can understand and enjoy the unique delicacy."

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