Unique noodle dish makes a city in China famous

With over 100 years of history, from a rustic street food, Lanzhou beef noodles has become one of the 10 most famous noodles in China.

Artisan Ma Wenbin introduces the process of making Lanzhou beef noodles.

The secret of Lanzhou beef noodles

The criteria for a bowl of authentic Lanzhou beef noodles are “one clear, two white, three red, four green”, meaning that one, the broth must be clear and fragrant; two, the radish must be white and crispy; three, the chili oil must be red, spicy and fragrant; four, the chopped green onions and coriander must be green, because they are the traditional quintessence distilled through generations of Lanzhou noodle artisans.

The secret to creating the Lan Chau beef noodle brand is the slogan “Tu quy thuy, tu quy khoi, tu quy dien”. In which, “tu quy thuy” means adjusting the temperature of the water to knead the dough to make noodles depending on the different seasons of the year, because the water temperature affects the fermentation and adhesion of the dough to pull the noodles; “tu quy khoi” means adjusting the ash content of the flour according to the weather of each season to ensure the best noodles are pulled; “tu quy dien” means the ratio between flour and water must also be adjusted according to the weather of each season to ensure the softest dough.

In places where the weather is divided into four distinct seasons, the requirements for kneading dough to make noodles are also different. In summer, the dough needs to be a little harder, in winter it needs to be a little softer. Even a slight difference in temperature will affect the quality of the noodles.

This slogan not only summarizes the experience of generations of artisans making noodles that have been recognized as China's intangible cultural heritage, but also demonstrates the level of the noodle artisans.

A traditional Lanzhou beef noodle dish.

Sharing with Nhan Dan Newspaper reporter, Mr. Ma Van Ban, Lan Chau beef noodle artisan said, he has been learning the profession since 1975, the learning process is very hard, every day he has to knead dough, repeating it so much that his arms are tired, many people can not stand it. With more than 50 years of working in the profession, he has trained about 2,000 students, many of whom have developed and become famous in the country and abroad.

Artist Ma Van Ban answered an interview with Nhan Dan Newspaper reporter.

Develop into a business

Originally a street food snack for working people, Lanzhou beef noodles have become a staple meal for everyone. To develop into a business, Lanzhou beef noodles not only need the artisans who hand-pulled the noodles that people often see in noodle shops, but also a team of managers, store managers and employees in charge of all stages in the shop.

Lanzhou No. 1 Noodles - famous Lanzhou beef noodle shop in Lanzhou city, Gansu province, China.

From a bowl of noodles to a culture, Lanzhou beef noodles needs to rely on this entire team, because each position in charge of a stage well will create the cultural brand of the noodle shop.

Diners can experience pulling noodles themselves under the guidance of artisan Ma Van Ban.

Currently, Lanzhou beef noodle shops that are voted by many customers on social networking platforms all focus on the layout and quality of service. Many noodle shops have open kitchens - customers can directly observe the processing stages from kneading dough, pulling noodles, blanching noodles, slicing beef, pouring broth... to help customers enjoy noodles while experiencing the cultural space of Lanzhou beef noodles.

During rush hour, there is not a single empty seat at Lanzhou Number One Noodle Shop.

To date, Lanzhou beef noodles are not only present in all parts of China, but also spread to the world market. By the end of 2024, there were more than 60,000 Lanzhou beef noodles stores in China and around the world, of which 696 stores were opened in more than 60 countries and territories outside China.

However, depending on each region and customer's taste, Lanzhou beef noodle shops adjust the temperature and broth strength to get the best bowl of noodles for diners.

HUU HUNG - HO QUAN

People's Daily reporter based in China

Source: https://nhandan.vn/doc-dao-mon-my-lam-nen-thuong-hieu-mot-thanh-pho-o-trung-quoc-post924082.html