Cold Glass Noodles Salad

Cold Glass Noodles Salad

　　1. Ingredients: Any non-moldy common rice can be used, broken rice is also acceptable.

2. Soaking: Wash the rice to remove impurities and soak it in water for 4–5 hours. At the same time, take high-quality, clean, and pure lime, dissolve it in water to make a saturated lime solution, allow it to clarify naturally, then take the clear supernatant and set it aside for later use.

3. Grinding: After soaking, grind the rice along with the water into a rice slurry using a stone mill (or steel mill or grinder), then pour it into a pot.

4. Boiling: Boil the rice slurry in the pot over high heat until it boils, then simmer over low heat while continuously stirring with a wooden stick. At this point, slowly pour in the prepared lime solution to solidify the rice slurry. The amount of lime solution used can vary slightly depending on how soft or firm you want the noodles to be, but aim for no bitter taste. Generally, use 100–200g of saturated lime solution per 1kg of rice. The lime-treated slurry must be boiled a bit longer (keep stirring to avoid burning), and when you lift a small amount of the slurry with a spatula, it should have the right viscosity—just about to drip but not quite—and form a slightly clumped shape on the spatula. This indicates the cooking is done, so scoop it out promptly. Pour it into a porcelain basin and let it cool down naturally. Once cooled, turn it out onto a clean chopping board lined with a damp cloth.

5. Serving: Mix with various seasonings such as soy sauce, vinegar, mashed garlic, MSG, and chili oil to create a variety of cool, smooth glass noodle salads. If mixed with fermented black bean paste, it can be made into the authentic version of Sichuan-style glass noodles—Chuanbei Glass Noodles.

Residents in the Chengde area have been eating cold glass noodles for over 300 years. People enjoy them not only because they are delicious and cooling, but also because they are rich in nutrients.

Nowadays, pre-made cold noodles are available in the market. Most families only need to buy them home, cut them, and mix with seasonings. Of course, you can also go to small shops on Sichuan streets to try ready-mixed cold noodles, which have a unique flavor :)

The Sad Glass Noodles at the Guangdong Guild Hall in Luodai Town are widely famous for their spiciness and are deeply loved by tourists.