Aunt Qiong’s Rice Noodle Rolls

Aunt Qiong’s Rice Noodle Rolls

　　These rice noodle rolls are indeed a traditional snack that stirs nostalgia and makes many Cantonese crave them—the soft noodles, cooked until just tender; the silky rice paste; and the rich toppings: minced pork, dried shrimp, mushroom bits, crispy pork cracklings, and spicy radish cubes stir-fried with green pepper—soft and smooth noodles, chewy toppings, crisp and spicy radish cubes, awakening the appetite. Back in the day, they were a delicious breakfast costing mere cents, but today they’ve become a rare find in Guangzhou. Even when you do find them, the craftsmanship and taste often fall far short of the past, only leading to one disappointment after another.

　　The area around Taojin Road and Eon Plaza in Yuexiu East has long been known as a hub for trendy eateries and fast food joints, yet it’s here that you can still enjoy the most traditional version of these noodle rolls. For just 1.5 yuan per big bowl, and available only before 9 a.m., the vendor Aunt Qiong was once a dishwasher at a well-known restaurant in Guangzhou. Known for her kind personality and good relationships, perhaps due to working near the kitchen, she gained tips from master chefs when she started her own business, and the resulting rice noodle rolls are truly unique.

　　For years, Aunt Qiong has insisted on making the rice noodle rolls entirely by hand—the rice is ground on a stone mill, the dough is mixed by hand, and the noodles are shaped manually. Having a storefront has always been Aunt Qiong’s greatest wish. Two years ago, she finally managed to secure a ground-floor shop on Jianshe Hengma Road, paid over ten thousand yuan in deposit, only to find out the landlord was a drug addict who ran off with the money. With no way to get it back, her dream of a proper store remains just that—a dream. It seems Aunt Qiong will have to sell countless more bowls of rice noodle rolls before she can save up enough for her next attempt at opening a store.