Meizhou Preserved Noodles

Meizhou Preserved Noodles

　　A famous local snack unique to Meizhou, these noodles are made from hand-pulled, thick wheat strands. After boiling in hot water and draining, they are placed in a bowl and mixed with lard, fried garlic, chopped scallions, and a touch of fish sauce to create a fragrant bowl of preserved noodles. A side of “Three Delicacies Soup,” made with pork, pork liver, pork intestines, and Chinese wolfberry leaves, is often added—enhanced with a hint of distiller’s yeast, offering a rich medley of flavors. One bowl of noodles and one bowl of soup make up a traditional Hakka breakfast classic, beloved by both locals and travelers from around the world. When in Meizhou, trying this noodle-soup combo is a must—if you miss out, you’ll be kicking yourself.

　　How to Make Meizhou Preserved Noodles:

　　Step 1: Prepare some minced garlic. Then heat a small amount of lard in a wok. Once the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and stir-fry until golden brown, then lower the heat.

　　Step 2: Once the garlic is fried, add a pinch of salt to the wok and stir well to evenly coat the garlic. Then sprinkle in some finely chopped scallions before removing from heat.

　　Step 3: Take prepared fresh noodles (note: these can be bought at the market) and boil them in hot water for about two minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water (rinsing in cold water improves texture and chewiness). Then mix with the fried garlic and serve.

　　Ingredients:

　　Fresh noodles (most are flat), minced garlic, chopped scallions, minced lean meat, oil, salt (pork-flavored is best, but don’t eat lard too often)

　　Noodle Preparation:

　　1. Boil the noodles: Place fresh noodles in boiling water, cook for about 30 seconds, then drain.

　　2. Take out a plate, dish, or bowl, and place chopped scallion pieces in it.

　　3. Mix the noodles: Transfer cooked noodles to a bowl, then add cooked minced meat, fried garlic, fish sauce, pepper, and other seasonings, and mix well.

　　Seasoning Preparation:

　　Make golden fried garlic and minced meat. First, heat oil (preferably lard) in a pan, then add minced garlic and fry until golden. Remove and set aside (do not let fried garlic touch water, or it will soften). Then stir-fry minced meat with lard, a bit of salt, and chicken essence until cooked, and set aside. Also prepare some chopped scallions.

　　Sauce Preparation:

　　Mix about one spoonful of fish sauce with half a bowl of water. Add an appropriate amount of salt (enough for half a jin / 250g of noodles). Boil in a pot, then set aside.

　　Precautions:

　　1. The main seasonings for Hakka preserved noodles are minced garlic and lean meat—make sure to prepare them well and keep them from touching water, or they’ll get soft.

　　2. Don’t overcook the noodles—boil them in hot water for about 30 seconds before draining.

　　3. Be sure to drain them well; excess water will ruin the texture.

　　4. Eat them while hot.

　　5. Along with preserved noodles, there are many traditional Hakka soups to choose from. Common pairings include mugwort lean meat soup, beetroot lean meat soup, pickled vegetable lean meat soup, pickled vegetable beef soup, Chinese wolfberry lean meat soup, Chinese wolfberry Three Delicacies Soup, greens Three Delicacies Soup, fish head soup, or meatball soup—each offering an authentic Hakka flavor.

　　Source: Meizhou Municipal Tourism Bureau