Spinach Noodles in Thick Chicken Broth 臊面
Spinach Noodles in Thick Chicken Broth is featured among the local specialties of Gansu.
Spinach Noodles in Thick Chicken Broth (臊面) are the saomian of Zhangye (张掖) in Gansu, called Ganzhou saomian (甘州臊面) on the city government's food pages: fine noodles made with spinach juice and served in a thickened chicken broth under a set of toppings. The Zhangye government describes the dish as a breakfast essential for local people.
How it is made
Spinach is pressed for its juice, and the juice is used to work the dough. The broth is chicken stock simmered and then thickened with starch (勾芡, gouqian), yet it stays clear enough to see through to the bottom of the bowl.
The noodles are topped with juanqianzi (卷千子), slices of braised meat and deep-fried shredded tofu, and finished with coriander and chopped spring onion.
Flavour and texture
The Zhangye city government describes the finished bowl as a bright golden colour with a mellow, fragrant taste, and the noodles as fine, long and pliant.
Where it comes from
According to the Zhangye government, Spinach Noodles in Thick Chicken Broth have a long history and are a local food particular to the people of Ganzhou. The city presents the dish as found only in the Hexi Corridor (河西走廊), calls it the first choice of visitors from elsewhere, and says it is the taste that people from Zhangye living away from home miss.
More dishes to compare
Explore related local specialties and compare their names, preparation notes and ordering guidance.
Lanzhou beef noodles 兰州牛肉面 →
Lanzhou beef noodles are another Gansu noodle soup, served in beef broth, whereas the Zhangye bowl uses spinach-juice dough and a starch-thickened chicken broth with fried tofu and braised meat on top.
Sources & reading
Written from the linked sources and checked sentence by sentence against quoted extracts by a separate reviewer on 2026-09-23. Recipes and servings vary between kitchens.