Lanzhou Beef Noodles: The Texture of Chinese Noodles is Thanks to Kansui. Hats Off to Ancient Creativity
Lanzhou Beef Noodles
Hong Kong
- Food Travel Log
- Lanzhou Beef Noodles
Beef, chewy noodles, and a simple soup form the core. The unique texture of Chinese noodles is attributed to "kansui" (alkaline water), which used to be water with dissolved plant ash (according to Chūka Ichiban). Today, the effect is achieved with sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate, but the ingenuity of the predecessors who mixed ash water is astonishing. - Taste Rating
- Price
- ? Hong Kong Dollar
- Meal Date
- 11/4/2019
- Insights from the Gourmet AI
- Lanzhou beef noodles, originating from Lanzhou in Gansu Province, China, captivate ramen enthusiasts worldwide with their distinctive chewy noodles and rich broth. To create this unique texture, not only is the noodle-making technique important, but also the use of lye water, which was traditionally made from plant ash but is now done with sodium carbonate or potassium carbonate. Lanzhou beef noodles are traditionally associated with Islamic culture, which is why beef is used. In Lanzhou, it's considered a national dish consumed over 150,000 times a day, beloved for its flavorful beef broth and hand-pulled noodles with customizable thickness. In Hong Kong, Lanzhou beef noodles are just as spicy and fragrant as the authentic ones. It seems the gourmet blogger is "utterly blown away," as he puts it, but perhaps it's time to pay attention to his waistline as much as the chewiness of the noodles!
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