Jook-Sing Bamboo-Pressed Noodles 竹升面
Jook-Sing Bamboo-Pressed Noodles is featured among the local specialties of Macau.
Jook-Sing Bamboo-Pressed Noodles (竹升面) are made in Macau (澳门) from high-gluten flour, duck eggs and alkaline water. The Macao Cultural Affairs Bureau links the eggs and alkaline water to their egg aroma and chewy texture. A maker uses a bamboo pole to press the dough repeatedly.
How it is made
The noodle maker sits astride one end of the pole and bounces, pressing the dough until it becomes compact and resilient. The flattened sheet is folded back and forth and dusted with starch, then cut into strands and gathered into bundles. Judging the proportions, moisture, firmness and thickness requires experience.
How it is eaten
The cooked noodles can be served with wontons, dumplings or beef brisket in a broth made with ingredients including dried flatfish, small shrimp and pork leg bones. They can also be prepared as tossed noodles.
Where it comes from
Traditionally, the craft passes from master to apprentice, with training lasting several months to a year. During the 1970s, mechanization replaced part or all of the noodle-making process in Macau, increasing output and reducing costs while contributing to the decline of bamboo pressing.
Sources & reading
Written from the linked sources and fact-checked against them on 2026-09-27. Recipes and servings vary between kitchens.
Image credits & notes (1)
- Bamboo-pole pressed noodles (zhu sheng mian) tossed with braised beef brisket, served with a bowl of broth · 竹升面配牛腩，佐以清汤一碗Photo: NAN LIU · CC BY-SA 2.0 · taken 2025-03-26Resized for the web; the photo itself has not been edited. Thumbnails may show a cropped view.
