Yiliang Lamb Rice Noodles

Yiliang Lamb Rice Noodles

　　Yiliang Lamb Rice Noodles is a specialty of Yiliang County in Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province. The main ingredients of lamb rice noodles are lamb and rice noodles. Freshly made lamb rice noodles are steaming hot, fragrant, and highly appetizing.

　　Yiliang is a county under the jurisdiction of Zhaotong City, People's Republic of China, located at the junction of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan provinces in the northeastern part of Yunnan.

　　The main ingredients of Yiliang lamb rice noodles are lamb and rice noodles.

　　The preparation of Yiliang lamb rice noodles involves blanching the rice noodles three times in boiling water to remove their inherent sourness, then placing them in a porcelain bowl. A thin layer of thinly sliced lamb is then placed on top of the rice noodles. This lamb is boiled, pressed, and sliced. Finally, bright red chili oil is poured over the dish, along with a sprinkle of Sichuan peppercorn powder, scallions, garlic sprouts, and coriander. It is steaming hot, fragrant, and highly appetizing.

　　The key to enjoying lamb rice noodles lies in savoring the flavor of the original broth. Generally, residents of Zhaotong prefer to use short-legged goats from the Shuifu area, as the meat from this region is tender and has less gamey smell. The goats are slaughtered and skinned on the same day and can be put into the pot without washing. When making the lamb broth, fresh lamb is first placed in the pot and simmered over low heat. The resulting broth is clear yet rich, savory yet not fishy. In addition to the meat and bones, one or two hens are added, along with a small amount of rock sugar, which makes the broth exceptionally delicious.