You'll know you're heading in the right direction when you see all of the smoke billowing from the countless kebab grills off in the distance. As you approach, you'll start seeing these dried fruit vendors. These guys are really nothing new. They'll often congregate around Metro exits around town. But on Friday, they offer a much bigger selection: several varieties of raisins, dried dates, figs, apricots, almonds walnuts.

Farther in, you'll find the fur peddlers. This guy was trying to pass this off as an Asiatic black bear pelt. The last we checked, though, bears don't have long, bushy tails. We're pretty sure this is a dog's hide, most likely a Tibetan mastiff.

Needless to say, he didn't close the deal with the dog skin. So he showed us the rest of his inventory of "fox" furs. We're pretty sure these came from dogs as well. It's probably best to avoid the pelt peddlers altogether...

Deeper into the market, there are stalls selling baked lamb dumplings and sweets like the baklava pictured here. The Central Asian style is far less sweet than its Mediterranean counterpart, and instead of crisp, flaky layers of phyllo dough, they use a brittle crust.

The next stall down sells fresh-baked naan bread, which makes an excellent edible plate for any of the grilled items on sale.

Spice rubbed lamb shanks and whole roasted chickens should be a nice match.

There are also several stalls that provide some seating for an impromptu al fresco lunch. This is pilaf, a Xinjiang staple. It's a simple recipe of rice, onions and carrots infused with the rich flavor of fatty lamb.

We couldn't get a clear explanation from the woman running this stall, but this looks like rice and bits of lamb cooked inside of sausage casings.

They do wontons as well. Stuffed with mutton, of course.

Hami melons are a staple at the fresh fruit stands. You can purchase them whole or they'll slice off a wedge for you.

Pomegranates are a wonderful seasonal treat in the market this time of year too.

Or check this out. Central Asian energy drinks.
"It gives you antlers..."

You can also stock up on halal instant noodles.

There are several butchers on hand. On previous visits, we've seen live sheep trucked in. Suffice to say, this stuff is pretty fresh.

All parts of the animal are used.

Much of the beef we saw on sale was precooked. This guy was even giving out free samples of what we were pretty sure was salted brisket. Delicious.

You'll see this all over town in the summer time. It's fen pi. Rice starch is molded in a pot. The end result is a convenient plug that can be scraped, grated or cut into pieces.

It's then tossed with the accoutrements that you see here: chili oil, garlic, peppers, coriander, cucumber and vinegar.

Next to the fen pi stall, we saw this gentleman, who looked like he was in the middle of a Friday afternoon devotional with his Qu'ran...

As it turned out, he was a pitch man for this innovative self-reading Qu'ran system. You scan an optical device across the Arabic script, and the scripture comes alive with sound. It can be yours for just six easy installments of 59.95. The guy told us he'd throw in a carrot peeler valued at 300rmb if we purchased it that day.

Another variety of baklava...

...And some sesame studded treats.

Plenty of jade merchants get in on the action too, and there is a surprising amount of variety -- green, white, orange, cut, uncut -- we can't vouch for the quality, but if you've got a penchant for pretty stones, it's worth a look.

In the more far flung parts of Xinjiang, like Kashgar, the knife is a common accessory among men. The handles are ornate with stone inlays, the blades flared and kind of scary looking. Specimens on offer in the Friday market are a far cry from what you'll find in Xinjiang. These are chintzy souvenir-grade blades.

If you're going to sit down and grab a bite, this stall at the southeast corner is your best bet. It does a brisk business in pilaf. For a few kaui extra, they'll throw in some steamed mutton dumplings as well.

Tea, of course, is the preferred liquid refreshment on market day.

Right outside the gates of the mosque, a man sells flat bread stamped with the characters 清真. Separate, they mean "clear" and "true," respectively. Together they make up the Chinese word for "Islam."