Mandarin Duck Noodles

Mandarin Duck Noodles

　　In Pingnan County (Ningde City, Fujian Province), known as the hometown of the mandarin duck, there are many local delicacies with distinctive regional flavors, and "Mandarin Duck Noodles" is one of them. Commonly known as "Bitter Gourd Seed Noodles," these noodles have an amber color and a smooth, elastic texture. To prepare them, dried bitter gourd seeds are boiled in hot water, then soaked and rinsed in clean water to soften them, drained, and then stir-fried with chicken broth and shrimp. They remain firm and unbroken, with each strand springy and distinct. If cooked with a handful of heartleaf houttuynia in a clear pork bone broth, not only are they refreshing and delicious, but they can also relieve the discomfort of hemorrhoid flare-ups, offering a tender and smooth taste. When "Bitter Gourd Seed Noodles" are braised or stewed with heartleaf houttuynia and pork ribs, they are not only tender and tasty but also serve as an excellent medicinal dish for treating hemorrhoids, tooth decay, and high blood pressure.