Wuxiang Ca Mian (Wuxiang Rubbed Noodles)

Wuxiang Ca Mian

　　Ca Mian

　　　　“Ca Mian,” also known as “Ca Ge Dou,” is a common folk dish from Wuxiang. It’s simple to prepare, easy to cook, and ideal for large-group meals prepared on communal stoves. To make ca mian: 1. A special utensil called a “ca chuang” (rubbing bed) is needed. The frame of the ca chuang is rectangular—larger ones are about three feet long, smaller ones around one and a half feet—with a middle section made mostly of hard iron sheet with rubbing holes. The holes are raised and oval-shaped, shaped like crescent moons or resembling fish scales, arranged in an orderly fashion. 2. The dough, once mixed, does not need to be kneaded or heavily pressed—it should be soft and pliable, often referred to as “live dough,” and can be directly rubbed into a pot of boiling water. 3. There are commonly three types of ingredients used: the first is plain wheat flour; the second is wheat flour mixed with cornmeal or sorghum flour; the third is a mixture of wheat flour, soybean flour, and sorghum flour, known as “za mian” (mixed flour).