Nine dishes in three rows is a traditional course of the Hui ethnic group. The course consists of nine smaller dishes.

There are three dishes in every row no matter what direction you are looking from. It is not only special in the way the dishes are placed, but also special in terms of the way the dish is presented to the diners. None of the nine dishes are fried. They are either steamed, boiled or cold and dressed with salad.

The main ingredients are beef, lamb, chicken, Chinese cabbage, tofu and pepper. When enjoying the course, staples such as buns, rice and steamed twisted rolls are recommended. In spite of nine dishes, it can be presented to diners within two minutes.

The four dishes in the four corners are usually served first and are often meat dishes. The dishes thus are called the “meat corners”. The four dishes placed along the middle of the edges are served afterward.

The dishes opposite each other share the same name though they have different ingredients. The dish in the center is served last and is often a cold dish dressed with salad. However, for some elegant dinners, a hot pot may be put in the middle as the ninth dish.