A mouthwatering dish made with Lyuliang cypress seed mutton [Photo/shanxi.gov.cn]

Cypress seed mutton, which is a hot favorite with food lovers of all shapes and sizes, is a famous traditional specialty in Zhongyang county, Lyuliang city, in North China's Shanxi province.

Located at the western foot of the Lyuliang Mountains, Zhongyang county has wild cypresses and ancient cypress forests. The goats raised there feed on the cypress seeds and leaves and drink mountain spring water, which lends the mutton its unique flavor.

Lyuliang cypress seed mutton has fine meat quality, clear texture, a delicious and tender taste and a unique cypress fragrance. The dishes cooked with the mutton don't have the aroma of regular mutton.

The protein content of Lyuliang cypress seed mutton exceeds 20 percent, which is about 5 percent higher than general mutton. Its fat content is about 20 percent and calories are 1.03 million joules. The goat meat also contains various minerals and vitamins.

In addition, cypress seeds and cypress leaves are said to help nourish the mind, sooth the nerves and moisturize dryness. This affects the mutton when goats feed on the plant, making the meat an ideal food to keep healthy and add nutrition.