Tiger’s Paw Gold Thread Noodles

Tiger’s Paw Gold Thread Noodles

　　The noodles are made by kneading dough with pigeon eggs, then thinly shaved into fine threads and stir-fried with tiger’s paw mushrooms. They feature a dazzling color, a crisp yet tender texture, and a richly aromatic, savory flavor.

　　Tiger’s paw mushrooms mainly grow on certain mountain ridges in the Chuxiong region of Yunnan Province. The mushroom is unique—having no cap or stem—and its surface is covered with a layer of fibrous fuzz. It comes in black and yellow varieties, with the yellow being the most precious. Its shape resembles a tiger’s claw, hence the name. Why do tiger’s paw mushrooms grow only in the Chuxiong area? There is a legend behind it. After Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty was overthrown by his uncle, he went into hiding, changed his name, and became a monk at Lion Mountain in Wuding, Yunnan. Although Emperor Chengzu had ascended the throne, the whereabouts of Jianwen remained an unresolved concern. He sent trusted agents to search everywhere. One day, when Jianwen was preaching in Nanhua, he was recognized by an assassin and sought refuge in a temple. The assassin bribed the cook to poison the dish “Tiger’s Paw with Shredded Chicken” (with lotus root strips used in place of chicken). However, by divine intervention, Jianwen ate the dish and suffered no harm. It turned out that the Yellow Tiger Star from heaven had descended to earth and transformed into the tiger’s paw mushroom to neutralize the poison. Since then, wherever the Yellow Tiger Star walked and left footprints, tiger’s paw mushrooms grew. That’s why the mushroom closely resembles a tiger’s paw and grows only in certain mountainous areas of Chuxiong.