Guanzhong Jiangshui Noodles

Last updated 2026-11-16 — Jiangshui Noodles are a type of noodle dish made with a soup base of jiangshui (a fermented liquid), along with chopped green onions, cilantro, and other seasonings. Known for their cooling and heat-relieving properties, Jiangshui Noodles are a popular summer dish and a common refreshment during hot weather. Many young people also drink raw jiangshui directly, which has a similar cooling effect. Making jiangshui is simple—it relies on fermentation. The leftover noodle soup from daily cooking, especially during peak summer when it naturally turns sour, is stored in a jar. Fresh vegetable leaves—typically tender celery, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, or wild greens like chicory, alfalfa, and shepherd’s purse—are chopped finely, boiled, then mixed with a starter culture for fermentation. This mixture is placed in a ceramic jar, covered, and left to ferment for three days to become jiangshui. Before eating, sauté garlic, ginger, and scallions in oil to release their aroma, then add the jiangshui and bring it to a boil. Cook the noodles, then serve them in the jiangshui broth, optionally adding other seasonings. Alternatively, you can cook the noodles first, place them in a bowl, pour hot jiangshui over them (hot jiangshui is preferred), and add an appropriate amount of salt, Sichuan peppercorn oil, and chili oil to complete the dish—this is Jiangshui Noodles.