Yuli Noodles 玉里面

Yuli Noodles (玉里面) take their name from Yuli (玉里) in Hualien County (花莲县). Originally called Yuli damian (玉里大麵), it combines handmade yellow noodles with a rich pork-bone broth. The noodles are described as springy and smooth to chew.

How it is made

The yellow noodles, known as youmian (油麵), are cooled with an electric fan immediately after boiling. At the same time, they are turned by hand to coat them thoroughly with oil, a finishing step intended to increase their elasticity.

Garnishes vary between shops and include fried shallots, chopped scallions, Chinese chives, minced celery and bean sprouts. Chinese Wikipedia describes a bowl finished with bean sprouts and three slices of pork. Other preparations include pork-rib noodles, thickened noodle soup and dry noodles with minced pork.

Where it comes from

Chinese Wikipedia relates an origin tradition in which Japanese residents brought ramen culture to Yuli during Japanese rule. A later part of the story concerns a cook from Fuzhou (福州) who moved to Taiwan and sold large noodles resembling youmian; workers enjoyed their chewy texture, helping establish the local name.

On 25 September 2013, the Hualien County government held a Yuli Noodle Festival in its plaza in Hualien City (花莲市), using the noodles to promote tourism in the county’s south.