Tengchong Rice Noodles

Tengchong Rice Noodles

Tengchong Rice Noodles is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Tengchong rice noodles were invented by villagers from Hujiawan in Dongshan Township. Made from locally produced glutinous rice, they have a history of nearly 400 years and are a widely beloved convenient snack among both locals and visitors.

　　　The people of Tengchong have been refining rice into rice noodles and rice cakes for at least three to five hundred years. According to oral tradition, the Southern Ming emperor Zhu Youlang (the Yongli Emperor), while fleeing westward after defeat, once ate a large bowl of fried rice cakes at a farmhouse. Not only did it fill his stomach and relieve his hunger, but he also found it incredibly delicious and couldn't help but praise it. With some emotion, he referred to it as the "Great Lifesaver." Since then, "Great Lifesaver" has become the “title” of Tengchong's fried rice cakes and even a synonym for Tengchong rice noodles and rice cakes.

　　Tracing back to its roots, the most famous Tengchong rice noodles and rice cakes come from Hujiawan, located in the suburbs near the eastern part of the city. Their premium products are made from carefully selected ingredients using highly meticulous craftsmanship. Their standout characteristics are softness paired with "bite," the ability to stay intact after long cooking, readiness when lightly warmed, and a fine, glutinous texture.

　　Tengchong rice noodles and rice cakes can be prepared in various ways: stir-fried, grilled, or boiled. "Great Lifesaver" is made by first slicing rolled rice cake into thin pieces, then cutting them into triangular or diamond-shaped bits, and stir-frying them in a spicy wok along with fresh pork slices, ham slices, eggs, mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes, pea sprouts, and various spicy seasonings. The dish is colorful, bursting with flavor, tender yet not greasy, leaving diners wanting more. Slicing the rice cake into pancake-like shapes and grilling them over charcoal until golden, then mixing them with a thin fermented soybean flour paste seasoned with cardamom, star anise, sesame oil, chili oil, and other spices, creates what is called fermented soybean paste pancake. Fresh meat, broth, vegetables, and rice noodles quickly cooked in a small pot create what is known as small-pot rice noodles.

　　Nowadays, this local specialty food, Tengchong rice noodles, has long since stepped out of the Gaoligong Mountains and found a home in Kunming, Beijing, and many other major cities, winning the favor of food lovers. Its next-generation product—"Yun Teng Fast Food Rice Noodles"—won the titles of "Yunnan Consumer Favorite Product" in 1994, 1995, and 1997, as well as the "Outstanding Product Award" at the 3rd China Township Enterprises Export Commodities Exhibition in 1997.