Tanghe Cold Noodles

Tanghe Cold Noodles

　　Tanghe Cold Noodles are a specialty snack from Tanghe County, Nanyang City, Henan Province. The distinctive feature of Tanghe mung bean cold noodles is their slightly yellow color, delicate texture, and refreshing, smooth taste in the mouth.

　　In Tanghe County, Nanyang City, there is a local delicacy—mung bean cold noodles. Due to its refined production techniques and unique ingredients, many visitors who have been to Tanghe feel it would be a missed opportunity not to taste this renowned specialty while exploring the area’s famous mountains and beautiful scenery.

　　Tanghe County is located in the southwestern part of Henan, on the eastern edge of the Nanyang Basin. The land here is flat and open, with distinct seasons that are suitable for the growth of various plants, especially VC-series mung beans. The long hours of sunlight result in high starch content in the mung beans. Additionally, the soil in Tanghe is rich in trace elements and minerals such as silicon, iron, manganese, and selenium, laying a solid foundation for the inherent quality of Tanghe mung bean cold noodles.

　　The creation of turning mung beans into cold noodles is a major innovation by the people of Tanghe. As early as over 400 years ago, locals used pea flour and dried sweet potatoes to make cold noodles. However, the resulting noodles were brittle and not suitable for long-term storage. This led many to wonder: could other grains be used instead of peas and dried sweet potatoes? After numerous experiments, by chance, a master named Master Duan discovered during one trial that using mung beans to make cold noodles resulted in a softer, more elastic product, which tasted even better when served cold or stir-fried. This method quickly spread from person to person, and soon mung bean cold noodles became popular in Tanghe, beloved by all who tried them.

　　The method for making mung bean cold noodles is as follows: soak carefully selected mung beans in water at 10°C–30°C for 12 hours in advance, changing the water once halfway through to ensure the sprouting of the bean embryos. Then grind the soaked beans in a stone mill until they become a thick paste, and filter the mixture two to three times through fine cloth until all the bean residue is removed. What remains is the raw mung bean slurry used for making the cold noodles. The final step is cooking: after mixing the slurry with natural water at a certain ratio and bringing it to a boil, pour it into a container and let it cool to room temperature to form the cold noodles. Once cut, the noodles can be served with a dressing made of cool ginger water, mashed garlic, vinegar, and sesame paste, or stir-fried at high temperature, resulting in an incomparably delicious flavor.

　　With the development of the times, people in Tanghe have invented specialized equipment such as mung bean grinders and filters, reducing the production time by half. Coupled with further optimization of the ingredients, Tanghe mung bean cold noodles have become an essential dish in many hotels and a premium item on the menu.

　　Thanks to its cooling properties and superior taste, Tanghe mung bean cold noodles are particularly well-suited to the palates of people from southern China. Currently, they have gained popularity in 14 provinces, municipalities, and regions including Guangdong and Hainan, becoming a rare and delightful dish for urban diners.