Street Snack · Steamed Oat Rolls

Youmian Kaolaolao (莜面栲栳栳) — Steamed Oat-Flour Rolls

📷 Closely related photo — Photo: N509FZ / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Each roll is rolled paper-thin around a single finger before being stood on end in the steamer — a full tray looks like a honeycomb of tiny tubes.

Dough made from oat flour is rolled thin, wrapped around a finger into small tube shapes, packed upright in a steamer, and cooked until firm with a slightly nutty bite. It's served with a savory tomato-and-egg or mutton broth for dipping.

Why it's made this way: Oats grow where wheat struggles on Shanxi's colder northern plateau, so kaolaolao became a way to turn a coarse, low-gluten grain into something with enough chew to make a full meal.