Liuzhou Rice Noodles

Liuzhou Rice Noodles

　　Liuzhou Rice Noodles

　　Rice noodles are the breakfast of choice for locals in Liuzhou. There are two types: sliced rice noodles and extruded rice noodles. Common meat toppings include three delicacies, char siu, sausages, crispy pork, pig’s trotters, and beef brisket. What makes these noodles delicious is primarily the broth, secondly the ingredients, and thirdly the seasonings. You’ll find no shortage of well-known noodle stalls in both busy streets and quiet alleys. Don’t be fooled by their humble appearances — the food is incredibly authentic. The pig’s trotter noodles at the intersection of Rongjun Road, the food company outlet near Wenhui Building, the Art Noodle Shop next to Jiayong Center Shopping Plaza, and the small stall opposite the timber factory are all great places to enjoy them.

　　Liuzhou is known for its local snacks, especially its diverse and varied types of rice noodles. Back in the day, several types gained popularity on the streets of Liuzhou, including “Original Broth Rice Noodles,” “Affectionate Noodles,” “Liuzhou Sliced Rice Noodles,” and “Liuzhou Extruded Rice Noodles.”

　　“Plain Sliced Rice Noodles”: In the old days, plain sliced rice noodles sold by Aunt Ke at the intersection of Yingshan Street and Aunt Yuan at Miaoqiao Street (near Liuzhou Hotel) were both affordable and delicious, making your mouth water just hearing about them. These plain sliced rice noodles used light, soft, and durable strands that wouldn’t break easily, topped with peanut oil, sesame oil, bean sprouts, crispy soybeans, and stir-fried chili. For a cold version, you could also add rice vinegar, mustard, scallions, and “san zi” (a type of fried dough strip), resulting in a dish that stimulates saliva and leaves you craving a second and even a third bowl.

　　“Original Broth Rice Noodles” (also commonly called Yogurt Rice Noodles): Made from premium glutinous rice, these are fine extruded noodles. But the way they’re eaten is quite unique: the noodles are served and eaten as they’re boiled in the original fermented broth used to make them. During the War of Resistance period, the sour broth rice noodles sold by Wei Nai at the “Temple of the God of Fire” (now inside the Qingyun Market grocery section) were highly favored, always crowded with customers. She flavored her sour broth rice noodles with Liuyong preserved vegetables, scallions, peanut oil, ginger, soy sauce, and chili oil. The taste was refreshingly pleasant, spicy and delicious, with a long-lasting sourness.

　　“Luosifen (River Snail Rice Noodles)”: Liuzhou’s luosifen is famous far and wide, truly unique, and considered the city’s signature dish. It boasts a distinctive flavor that’s sour, spicy, refreshing, hot, and savory, ranking first among Liuzhou’s local snacks. Made from Liuzhou’s signature soft and smooth rice noodles, it’s combined with pickled bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, peanuts, deep-fried tofu skin, daylily buds, tender greens, and other ingredients, along with a well-balanced rich and spicy flavor and the broth from simmered river snails. Eating it often leaves you drenched in sweat, but the uniquely delicious snail soup makes it irresistible, leaving you wanting more with a lasting aftertaste.

　　As for Liuzhou sliced rice noodles and extruded rice noodles, the reasons they never get tiresome to eat come down to three things: the broth, the ingredients, and the seasonings. All noodle vendors focus their efforts on these “three pillars.” At the time, there were no fewer than fifty well-known noodle shops in Liuzhou, and their noodles enjoyed great fame and were deeply loved by the public. Today, you’ll still find no shortage of reputable noodle stalls in both busy streets and quiet alleys. Don’t be fooled by their unassuming appearances — the food is genuinely authentic. If you see a crowd, why not step in and spend a dollar or two on a bowl? You might just find yourself not wanting to leave.