Noodles in Slab Shape

Noodles in Slab Shape

　　 Introduction

　　 Xinye, a historic city famed from the Three Kingdoms era after Zhuge Liang set it on fire, is home to a local dish with deep historical roots—Xinye Noodles in Slab Shape (also called Zhang Fei Noodles). It is widely praised for being refreshing, chewy, fragrant with a hint of spice, and spicy yet aromatic.

　　 Origin

　　 Legend has it that the “slab noodles” of the ancient city of Xinye originated in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. During the time when the brothers Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei of the Peach Garden Oath were stationed in Xinye, General Zhang Fei—who was described as having a leopard-like head and round eyes, and a thunderous roar—always found the noodles too soft, lacking bite and flavor. To satisfy this “bridge-shattering, rough-yet-refined” general, the chef experimented repeatedly and finally developed these “slab noodles.” Upon tasting them, Zhang Yide burst into laughter, gave a thumbs-up, and showered praise. Since then, “Xinye Slab Noodles” have spread widely across the regions of Wan and Luo in southwestern Henan, and Jing and Xiang in northern Hubei.

　　 Legend

　　 Another story claims that the slab noodles were invented by Zhang Fei:

　　 Zhang Fei’s quick temper was well known, so he demanded speed in everything. Due to the tight time constraints of military campaigns, the cooks simply couldn’t keep up. One day, while already frustrated with military matters, Zhang Fei grew even angrier upon hearing complaints that the food wasn’t ready. He went to inspect the army’s logistics and, seeing that the soldiers were still making meals by hand-rolling and knife-cutting dough, became furious. He grabbed the dough on the cutting board and started slamming it around, cursing all the while. As he left, he casually tossed the slapped dough into the pot. This seemingly careless act resulted in noodles that were unexpectedly chewy and delicious. Even more surprisingly, this method was much faster than rolling and cutting. The army cooks began imitating and refining the technique, eventually creating these uniquely flavorful slab noodles.

　　 Food Characteristics

　　 The unique flavor of Xinye Noodles in Slab Shape comes down to two things: the quality of the noodles themselves, and the quality of the meat topping (known for its regional character, also called “Xinye Meat Topping”).

　　 The meat topping is typically made from beef or mutton, stir-fried with over 20 seasonings such as chili, fennel, pepper, Sichuan peppercorn, star anise, and cinnamon. The process involves selecting tender beef or mutton with balanced fat and lean, cutting it into grape-sized cubes. Dried red chilies are fried in oil until golden and fragrant, then removed, drained, cooled, and crushed with a knife. The meat cubes are stir-fried repeatedly until they hold their shape, at which point the crushed chilies and seasonings like salt are added. The mixture is simmered over low heat to draw out the moisture from the meat. When the cubes are evenly colored to a date-red hue, the heat is turned off and the mixture is allowed to cool. The finished topping excels in craftsmanship and heat control—fragrant without being greasy, spicy without being harsh, salty without being astringent. It has a jewel-like appearance, glistening and appetizing, with a delicious taste. A remarkable feature of this topping is its long shelf life; it can be stored for over a year without refrigeration, remaining unspoiled and flavorful even through summer. Legend says it was originally developed by Zhuge Liang, who, aware of the unpredictable lifestyle of soldiers constantly on the move, dedicated himself to creating a preserved condiment.

　　 The noodles are made from high-quality local wheat flour. Salt and water are mixed in proportion, and the dough is kneaded repeatedly until elastic. It is then stretched and slapped against the board until it feels silky to the touch, has tensile strength when pulled by hand, resembles a waterfall when lifted, and makes a cracking sound when slapped.

　　 These noodles are of consistent width and pleasing appearance. With just two liang (a traditional unit) of flour, three strands can be stretched to over four zhang (an old Chinese unit of length, roughly 13–14 meters) when pulled straight. Once slapped into shape, the noodles go straight into the pot, then into bowls with a few sprigs of green vegetables and a ladle of meat topping. The result is white noodles, green leaves, and red topping—a bite offers a “spicy-crisp, fragrant-delicious” sensation, with a refreshing aroma that lingers delightfully.

　　 The meat topping and the slab noodles complement each other perfectly—one without the other would fall short. As locals say: noodles without the topping lack flavor; topping without the noodles lacks character.

　　 Throughout the ages, over more than a thousand years of refinement and the continuous improvements by generations of skilled chefs, Xinye Noodles in Slab Shape have only grown more appealing. Enjoyed by people from all walks of life in every season, they remain endlessly satisfying.

　　The dough for the noodles must be kneaded until very elastic. As for the seasoning, the Xinye style involves frying dried red chilies in warm oil until semi-charred (slightly more charred is better), then adding braised beef and the beef broth into the chili and oil mixture. After bringing it to a boil over high heat, it’s simmered slowly until fully flavored. The best part is said to be the chili itself.

　　When making the noodles, the chef arranges three small noodle sticks on the cutting board, gripping one end of each with the left hand and the other end with the right. Then with a forceful upward motion, the sticks are slammed hard onto the board. This action is repeated rapidly, accompanied by slapping sounds, stretching, and quick movements—the origin of the name “slab noodles.” In the chef’s hands, the three short, thick sticks lengthen, thin out, and are folded three times, extending to over five zhang in total length, all uniformly sized and fine enough to resemble a cascading waterfall when lifted.

　　The cooked noodles are scooped out smooth, white, and translucent. The chef adds a few sprigs of tender green vegetables, then pours on the boiling date-red meat topping. The combination of white noodles, green leaves, and red topping is incredibly appetizing.

　　The preparation of the topping is also very particular. Ingredients include fennel, Sichuan peppercorn, cinnamon, fermented bean paste, salt, red chili, beef tallow, and beef. For each batch, the ingredients are added in specific proportions and order. First, the beef tallow is melted and brought to a boil, followed by the seasonings. A large quantity of dried red chilies is used to enhance the spiciness and color of the topping, and beef also makes up a significant portion. Premium beef is cut into neat little cubes, which are added to the pot once the chili has darkened. At this stage, precise heat control is essential to cook the beef to perfect tenderness.

　　Once the topping is ready, it is ladled into an enamel basin. Upon cooling, it solidifies and can be stored for long periods without spoiling. It can be scooped out as needed for home-cooked noodle dishes, and tastes wonderful.