In northeast Yunnan’s Zhaotong City, folks have long been in love of shish beef kebabs.

As Zhaotong folks are migrating nationwide in recent years, the beef kebabs are gaining popularity in Kunming and other Chinese cities.

Ma Ronghua, a Zhaotong native, opened a barbecue shop in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province eight years ago, and has thrived on beef kebabs ever since. 

"To keep the original flavor, I only purchase the beef produced on the Zhaotong highland for kebabs,” said Ma, adding he has been familiar with the taste since childhood.

In each barbecue, Ma puts the beef-loaded skewers into a special sauce in advance, so that the beef can give off an immense aroma during roasting.

When the charcoal is hot enough, Ma takes out the fully-soaked kebabs and lays them evenly on the barbecue grill. During the grilling, the kebabs are turned over frequently so that they can be heated evenly. 

As the temperature rises, the beef kebabs sizzle with oil drippings, giving off thick smoke or bursting into flames. At the stage, the turning is quickened to stop them from over-burnt, while allowing drips to be partly absorbed by lean meat.

Finally, Ma sprinkles sesame seeds, cumin and pepper power onto the kebabs to add color and aroma.

"Tasting the beef kebab with friends is something pleasant," said Ma Ronghua. The taste reminds him of his childhood, relatives and the hometown.

Reporting by Xu Hualing (Xinhua); trans-editing by Wang Shixue