Young vendor turns Xinjiang naan into hot favorite in Xi'an

Just after 4 pm in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, a crowd begins gathering outside a small street stall. There is no celebrity or grand opening, just a young man from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region pushing a cart and baking naan, known to locals by his nickname, Adax.

He kneads the dough, rolls it into a round flatbread, brushes it with oil, slaps it against the inner wall of a tandoor oven and pulls it out with a long skewer in one fluid, almost hypnotic motion. Steam rises from the freshly baked bread, its crust crackling as the crowd waits. It is a familiar scene of autumn street life, unfolding like a folk symphony.

Each naan is as large as a washbasin, weighing about 1 kilogram. Crispy on the outside and soft inside, it has a rich, milky aroma. Three cost just 10 yuan ($1.50). Freshly baked and still steaming, the flatbreads have become so popular that more than 100 people are often waiting in line for hours before the stall opens.

Local resident Wang Qiliang came prepared. "I asked my wife to come and line up ahead of time, then I rushed over after work to take her place," he said.

After his first bite, Wang was convinced. The naan "really tastes great", he said, adding that it was even cheaper than naan sold in Xinjiang.

The stall has been operating for years, but it has only recently gone viral online.

"Even after it went viral, the size and portion of each naan haven't changed a bit," Wang said.

Hand-baking naan takes time, and customers wait patiently as batch after batch comes out of the oven. What has also impressed them is the baker's rule that any naan that cracks or gets burned will not be sold. Instead, he gives the bread away on the spot to people in the line and nearby residents, sharing it while it is still hot and fresh.

For customer Chen Haoning, naan tastes best the moment it leaves the oven, when its texture and flavor are at their peak. That is precisely why people are willing to wait for hours for a freshly baked flatbread.

"Xi'an is also known as the capital of carbohydrates," Chen said. "So we Xi'an people are good at cooking with wheat. Naan is a Xinjiang flatbread. We may have a special feeling for the food."

For Chen, joining the line is about more than following an online trend. "It is more of an expression of love for life," he said.

Naan-making is recognized as a form of national intangible cultural heritage. With a history dating back about 2,000 years to the ancient Silk Road, naan remains an important cultural symbol of Xinjiang. Known as Hu flatbread in ancient times, it spread from the Western regions to the Central Plains along the Silk Road and became popular in Chang'an, the ancient name for Xi'an, during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Adax is not the baker's real name. The nickname means "friend" in the Uygur language. His name is Nasirden Rexat, and he is 30 years old and from Kashgar, Xinjiang. He learned to make naan in Urumqi before moving to Xi'an to earn a living.

Until recently, he had remained relatively unknown. His unassuming manner, along with his good looks, has since attracted widespread attention online.

"I'm truly so grateful for all the support. I'm swamped right now. Tired as I am, I'm really happy," he said. Although he is not fluent in Mandarin, his words convey his gratitude clearly.

His family, including his older brother and a cousin, has traveled from Xinjiang to help him run the stall.

"Naan is made from flour, milk, egg, sesame seeds, yeast and other ingredients," said his older brother, Mijit Rexat. "People in Xi'an like the naan we make. I'm very happy."

Before leaving Xinjiang, Mijit picked fresh fruit from his orchard and brought pomegranates and grapes to share with customers waiting in line.

"Thank you for liking my younger brother. He is a man of few words, and I hope you will be understanding. You are all welcome to visit Kashgar," he told the crowd.

Nasirden sends money home every month, and his family has bought new furniture. His biggest wish is to build a house someday.

Some netizens have compared him to the determined runner in the film Forrest Gump: a man of few words who puts everything he has into every naan he makes.

Years spent working beside the oven have left burn marks of varying severity on his palms and arms. Customers notice the scars and remind him to be careful. He responds with an honest, slightly sheepish grin, waves his hand and says, "It's alright."

Meanwhile, crates of milk, hot meals, bottled water and thick cotton coats keep appearing at his stall, left by visitors whose names he may never know. Their gifts are another sign of the warmth generated by a young baker whose dedication has won the hearts of people far from his hometown.

Contact the writers at chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn