Guo Laoguan’s Scraped Cold Noodles

Guo Laoguan’s scraped cold noodles

　　Guo Laoguan’s scraped cold noodles

　　Scraped cold noodles are a traditional street snack in Yiyang. Made from broad bean flour, they are a refreshing favorite during the summer heat.

　　Guo Laoguan puts special care into making his scraped cold noodles. He uses high-quality broad beans to grind into a fine paste. First, he mixes the smooth, white bean powder with cool boiled water to form a thick batter. Then, he pours boiling water into a ceramic bowl containing the batter and stirs it thoroughly—the more evenly and thoroughly it's stirred, the better. The consistency should be just right—not too thick or too thin—and the mixture should have an opaque, lotus root starch-like color. He tests the batter by lifting it with chopsticks; when it drips, it should fall in clumps rather than strands. After the batter is well mixed, it is left to cool. The cooled batter is then poured out onto a clean cutting board and scraped into strips using a perforated scraping tool. The strips are scooped into a bowl and topped with seasonings. This method produces cold noodles that are firm yet tender, with a bright sheen.

　　In addition to using refined salt, MSG, sesame oil, and pickled mustard greens, Guo Laoguan also adds ginger cubes, minced garlic, vinegar, fermented tofu sauce, and chili peppers according to the season. These seasonings give the cold noodles an extra refreshing and tangy flavor.