Rice Noodles 米粉

Rice Noodles (米粉) in Changsha (长沙) usually mean flat, cut noodles in bone broth, with lard, soy sauce, MSG and chopped scallions. Pickled mustard stem, chopped chillies, radish strips, sour pickled beans and pork cracklings are among the accompaniments.

How it is made

The noodles begin with ground polished rice. After steaming, the sheets are lifted, dried in the shade and cut into strips by hand. Their texture is soft and smooth but resilient enough to hold together when lifted with chopsticks.

Toppings for the bowl

Da Xiang Cai Bao (大湘菜报) describes more than forty classic Changsha toppings, including slow-cooked, steamed and stir-fried preparations. Shredded chicken and mushroom oil are among the choices. The range spans both light and richer flavours, with an emphasis on preserving the ingredients’ own taste.