Shatu Lamb Rice Noodles

Shatu Lamb Rice Noodles

　　Shatu Lamb Rice Noodles are a specialty of Shatu Town, Jinsha County, Bijie City, Guizhou Province. The rice noodles in Jinsha County’s Shatu Town are thick like bamboo chopsticks—slightly tangy, smooth, fragrant with the aroma of rice, and melt in your mouth.

　　Shatu Lamb Rice Noodles use free-range local short-legged goats; the heavier and fatter, the better. These goats have a moderate gamey flavor and tender, delicious meat. Once the live goats are brought in, they are slaughtered, skinned, cleaned of internal organs, and meticulously deboned. The goat meat is cut into several large chunks and simmered in a large, wide iron pot over high heat in a secret broth to remove scum, then slow-cooked over low heat. After the meat is thoroughly cooked, its tenderness is carefully judged before it is removed to cool naturally overnight, then sliced into appropriately sized, paper-thin pieces for later use. The resulting broth should be clear but not murky, rich but not fishy. Too many anti-gamey spices will give it a medicinal taste, while too few will leave an overpowering gaminess—the authenticity of each shop’s flavor is first judged by the quality of this broth. The skill in making the spicy chili oil for the lamb noodles also distinguishes the taste levels. Typically, locally sourced dried chili peppers that are aromatic but not overly spicy are ground and stir-fried in sheep fat. Authentic Zunyi and Jinsha lamb noodles use chili powder as fine as salt grains. Insufficient heat leaves the chili raw and underdeveloped, while too much heat makes it burnt and foul. Most small shops, not understanding these subtleties and seeking convenience, simply use coarse chili powder instead, resulting in a vastly inferior flavor.

　　Recommended Reason: Made exclusively with Wushan black goats, the meat is delicious and free from any gaminess.

　　Preparation Method: Short-legged goats, the heavier and fatter the better, have a moderate gamey flavor and tender, delicious meat. Live goats are taken and slaughtered at midnight, then skinned, cleaned of internal organs, and meticulously deboned. The whole goat is simmered in a pot with secret seasonings until dawn, yielding a milky-white, fragrant, and richly delicious broth.

　　Features: Appetizing and spleen-strengthening, warming and kidney-nourishing, it is the best food for nourishing the body.