Qiyang Wenming Rice Noodles

Qiyang Wenming Rice Noodles

　　Wenming rice noodles are a traditional delicacy of Qiyang, named after their origin in Wenmingpu, a locality in the county, where they were first created during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.

　　Wenming rice noodles are distinctive in their selection of ingredients, noodle-making techniques, and broth preparation. The raw materials used for making the noodles must be high-quality rice, preferably freshly harvested new rice. During production, the rice is first soaked in warm water until it can be easily crushed by hand. The soaked rice is then ground into a fine, moist yet firm rice slurry. After filtering out excess water, the slurry is spread on a bamboo mat and placed over a steaming pot to warm up, allowing the dough to ferment at an appropriate temperature until it reaches the right consistency before being kneaded. Once kneaded to a soft and sticky texture, it is shaped into two fist-sized balls, briefly boiled in hot water until the exterior turns yellowish-brown while the inside remains white. These are then taken out and pounded in a stone mortar until smooth and glutinous. Next, the dough is shaped into balls again and placed into the cylinder of a wooden noodle press, where manpower is used to extrude long, thin noodles. These noodles are then boiled in hot water and transferred to cold water to stop cooking. Once the noodles are ready, the broth is made by simmering pork bones and fermented black beans. For the topping (“zhaozi”), finely chop equal parts lean meat (half), fat meat (a quarter), and fresh pork lard residue (a quarter), then soak them in boiling fermented black bean soup and quickly bring to a boil to form the topping. Finally, the noodles are briefly blanched in a large pot of boiling water for one or two minutes, then scooped out with long chopsticks into a strainer, with as much excess water as possible drained off. They are placed in a bowl, topped with chopped scallions, red chili sauce, freshly fried lard, the broth-covered “zhaozi,” and poured over with the prepared hot soup — resulting in a steaming, vibrant, fragrant, and savory bowl of Wenming rice noodles. For a more refined version, beaten eggs are mixed with freshly pressed noodles to make “egg noodles,” which taste even more delicious. In summer, “cold noodles” are also popular: using marinated lean meat and fried soybeans as the topping, served with vinegar, minced garlic, red chili sauce, and chilled brine for a refreshing dish that balances sour, sweet, spicy, aromatic, and cool flavors. Wenming rice noodles from Qiyang are widely popular. “Wenming Noodle Shops” can be found not only in all market towns across the county but also in Changsha and other cities and towns within the province, as well as in other provinces such as Wuhan, Nanjing, Guilin, and Taipei. Some even hang signs declaring themselves as “Authentic Wenming Noodle Shops” to showcase the superior quality of their noodles. (Yongzhou)