Traditional Huangtan Rice Noodles of Tianmen

Traditional Huangtan Rice Noodles of Tianmen

　　The traditional signature rice noodle soup from Huangtan, Tianmen, has a pretty good flavor. Since opening, business has been consistently strong, mainly serving traditional Huangtan rice noodles from Tianmen. The authentic rice noodle soup is made by simmering eel. The toppings are crispy fried eel shreds. The youtiao (Chinese fried dough sticks) here are thick and big, fried in crystal-clear oil, and taste amazing when mixed into the rice noodle soup.

Rice noodles refer to strip- or thread-shaped rice products made from rice through processes such as soaking, steaming, and pressing, rather than the powder-like substance made by grinding rice as the word might suggest. They are tender yet elastic, do not turn mushy when boiled, and hold up well when stir-fried. Served in broth or stir-fried with various vegetables or seasonings, they are smooth, flavorful, and widely loved by consumers (especially those in southern China). There are many types of rice noodles, including flat rice noodles, square rice noodles, wavy rice noodles, silver-thread rice noodles, wet rice noodles, and dry rice noodles. Their production processes are largely similar, typically involving: rice — washing — soaking — grinding into slurry — steaming into sheets — pressing (extruding into strands) — re-steaming — cooling — drying — packaging — finished product.

In southern China, where rice is abundant, rice noodles are quite popular. Southerners are accustomed to eating rice and often find drier foods hard to swallow, so rice noodles are usually served in soup. The ways of eating and seasoning rice noodles vary across different regions in the south.