Ramen

Ramen

　　Ramen

　　Ramen, also known as stretched noodles, is a distinctive local noodle dish popular in both urban and rural areas of Shanxi. Legend has it that ramen originated in the Fushan area of China’s Jiaodong Peninsula in Shandong Province, hence it was once called “Fushan Ramen.” When ramen was introduced to the capital, it won the emperor’s praise and was bestowed the name “Dragon Whisker Noodles,” thus becoming a staple in the imperial kitchen. As for when ramen was introduced to Shanxi or whether it originated there natively, there is no definitive evidence. However, the Shanxi people’s skill in making ramen and their widespread fondness for eating it are unmatched elsewhere. To this day, in central and northern Shanxi, it remains a traditional custom to serve ramen to guests during weddings and to celebrate birthdays with it.

　　To make ramen, the first requirement is accurate ingredient preparation. The general standard is: five jin of standard flour, mixed with three to 3.2 jin of water (more in winter, less in summer), 1.5 qian of salt, and about 5 qian of alkaline flour. When kneading the dough, first form it into a floured tassel, then knead it into a dough ball, add water to soften it, let it rest for half an hour, then add alkaline water and knead evenly. Next, slowly knead it into a long strip, fold it and twist it into a spiral shape. This process is repeated multiple times until the thickness is uniform. Then place it on the cutting board, dust it evenly with dry flour, trim both ends, hold each end with one hand, shake it up and down forcefully, stretch it out, fold it back, and repeat. Typically, it is best to stretch it into 64 strands. When boiling, hold both ends with one hand and hook the middle with the other, remove the ends, drop it into boiling water to cook, then remove and serve with seasoning. A skilled chef can stretch three jin of dough per minute, pulling it twelve times over, resulting in eight strands and a total of 8,192 noodles—each as fine as a silver thread, neatly aligned, and if connected end to end, would stretch twelve Chinese miles.