Rongjiang Rice Noodles

Rongjiang Rice Noodles

　　Anyone who visits Rongjiang without trying a bowl of "Rongjiang Rice Noodles" might as well have not come at all.

　　　　The origins of Rongjiang Rice Noodles go back quite far, with a history of around 250 years. The process of making them begins with soaking sticky rice until it’s fully saturated, then grinding it into a slurry. Next, a measured portion of the slurry is mixed with boiling water to create a thin porridge-like mixture (commonly known as “shu qian”). Cooking this mixture is the key step in noodle production—undercooked, and the noodles will lack elasticity (i.e., toughness). Therefore, it's essential to evenly mix the “cooked paste” (shu qian) with the rice slurry (in equal parts), stirring as you combine them. To make the noodles, a large pot of water is first brought to a rolling boil. Then, the prepared rice slurry mixture is ladled into a “noodle-forming tray” (made from thin tin, approximately 30 cm in diameter with sides about 3 cm high). The tray is shaken gently to spread the slurry evenly across the base. Quickly, the tray is placed into the boiling water, covered tightly, and left for a few minutes. When the lid is lifted, a ladle of cold water is poured in. The tray is then removed once large bubbles appear on the surface of the noodles. As soon as the cover comes off, these bubbles collapse. While the noodles are still hot, run a chopstick around the edge of the tray to loosen the noodle sheet. Once about one-third of the sheet has pulled away from the tray, drape it over a clean, dry bamboo stick to air-dry and remove excess moisture. Once folded, the noodles are ready.

　　　　Some have attempted to introduce Rongjiang Rice Noodles to the Kaili market, only to return disappointed. The reason lies in the difference in water quality, which further highlights the uniqueness of Rongjiang Rice Noodles.

　　　　Rongjiang Rice Noodles can be prepared in a variety of ways, but four common methods stand out: soup noodles, stir-fried noodles, rolled noodles, and cold tossed noodles. Each preparation style is chosen based on personal preference and the season. Soup noodles are suitable year-round. In the cooler winter and spring months, people tend to prefer stir-fried noodles. In contrast, during the hot summer and autumn, rolled noodles and cold tossed noodles are more popular.

　　　　The process of making rolled noodles isn’t particularly complicated, but the ingredients are quite particular: ingredients such as lean meat, romaine lettuce, bamboo shoots, and dried tofu are diced into small squares and stir-fried in advance. A round sheet of noodle is first peeled off from the forming tray and laid flat on the table. Depending on need, it’s cut into several small triangular pieces. Then, using a soup ladle, the prepared fillings are scooped onto the noodle sheet, which is then wrapped into a small, elongated cylindrical shape—thus becoming a rolled noodle. There are two common ways to eat rolled noodles: one is hot, where the wrapped rolls are steamed in a small steamer basket. This method is usually preferred in colder weather. The advantage is that the steam helps the flavors of the fillings penetrate the noodle skin, and the steamed noodle becomes even more chewy, resulting in a tastier and more comforting bite. The other way is to eat them cold, which is more common in hot weather. On a sweltering day, cold rolled noodles provide a refreshing feeling and help relieve heat and summer fatigue. Both methods share one thing in common: after placing the rolled noodles in a bowl, they are cut into smaller sections with scissors, then topped with soy sauce, fermented tofu brine, vinegar, sprinkled with chopped scallions, minced ginger, chili powder, and stirred before eating.

　　　　Cold tossed noodles are a summer dish perfect for beating the heat and are even simpler to prepare. The noodles are cut into thin strands, placed in a bowl, and seasoned with salt, chili, and various ingredients (such as stir-fried or minced meat strips, blanched mung bean sprouts, pea shoots, scallions, ginger, pepper, vinegar, MSG, salt, etc.), then mixed well before serving. Especially during peak summer when the sun is blazing and appetites wane, cold tossed noodles often serve as a satisfying substitute for a full meal—and feel incredibly refreshing.