In China's carbohydrate landscape, wheat-based noodles dominate the north, while the south holds a deep affection for rice. Beyond plain rice, southerners have ingeniously transformed rice through soaking, grinding, and processing into various types of rice noodles—smooth and slippery when slurped, springy and soft when bitten—making them a distinctive staple of southern cuisine.
To become a delicious bowl of noodles, it doesn't require complex cooking techniques. Rice noodles are blanched in boiling broth, then paired with either savory or intensely spicy toppings.
China boasts vast rice-producing regions—Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan—all renowned for their love of rice noodles. In your opinion, which region offers the ultimate rice noodle experience?
Hunan's terrain serves as a transitional zone from the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau to the Jiangnan hills and the Nanling Mountains, featuring diverse landscapes including semi-high mountains, low hills, basins, and plains. Surrounded by mountains on three sides and opening to the northeast, Hunan forms an asymmetrical horseshoe shape with fertile plains stretching far and wide.
Source: iBaotu
Hunan rice noodles cannot be defined by a single flavor. In this vast and intricate kingdom of noodles, each city and prefecture belongs to a different school, each proud of its own style. Hengyang's braised noodles are savory, Qingshuping’s noodles are rich and flavorful, Qifengdu’s fish noodles are fresh and fragrant, and Changsha’s shredded pork noodles are comforting...
In Hunan, the toppings paired with noodles are called ma or mazi. Shredded pork is the basic choice in Changsha noodle shops, while beef is the standard in Changde. From braised beef brisket and marinated beef shank to spicy beef, offal, steak, and tendon—there’s a wide variety of toppings.
Source: iBaotu
Other regions also have their specialties, such as Huaihua’s duck noodles, Yuanling’s pork trotter noodles, Yongzhou’s shazhu noodles (made with fresh pork), and Hengyang’s bone marrow noodles...
Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Wenwen
Editor Ⅱ: Bao Gang
Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong
