Hanzhong Guotie

Hanzhong Guotie

　　Hanzhong guotie is actually a type of “flower roll.” Apart from the dough, it contains only a small amount of filling made with "salt, Sichuan peppercorns, and minced meat."

　　　　It is said that in the late Sui Dynasty, during a time of chaos and military setbacks, the cooks were rather careless, making it difficult for soldiers to get hot meals. One day, the cook (let’s just call him that) was heating up the pot to prepare noodles for the commanding general when suddenly the sound of battle horns rang out. In a panic, the cook threw the un-stretched dough into the pot. When he opened the lid, he realized there had been no water added—the noodles had all stuck to the sides of the pot. The upper part remained soft while the bottom turned golden brown. With no other options, he took them out and ate them. Hey, the top was soft, the bottom crispy, and the taste surprisingly refreshing. Though the Sui Dynasty eventually fell to the tides of history, this noodle dish endured and evolved into what we now know as guotie.

　　　　Later, improvements were made to the guotie-making process, and various seasonings were added. Through steaming and then pan-frying, the resulting dish not only retained the soft and crispy texture of traditional guotie but also featured a deliciously oily finish that leaves a lasting impression.

　　　Preparation method: Roll out fermented dough into very thin sheets, spread them with seasonings such as “oil, salt, and Sichuan pepper powder,” then roll them into long, slender coils. Many of these “coils” are placed side by side in a large pot. This is not the flat-bottomed pan used for street-style guotie, but rather a traditional, pointed-bottom wok. A small amount of lard is added to the wok, and at the pointed bottom, an inverted,紫砂 (purple clay)-like “basin” with many small holes is creatively placed. The prepared coils are arranged along the sloped rim of the wok. Due to the incline, the long coils gradually slide downward under their own weight during cooking. By the time they are done, the originally long coils have transformed into “three-inch golden lotuses”—short on top and tall at the bottom—with golden-brown, pan-fried bottoms.