Gansu Street Food

5 dishes in China

5 street foods from Gansu, China: Lanzhou Lamian, Hui Douzi, Jiangshui Mian, Xingpi Shui and Cuoyu Mian. Each one has its own page with the story behind it and what to look for.

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Street foods of Gansu

Noodle · Hand-pulled Lanzhou Lamian (Hand-Pulled Beef Noodles) A proper bowl is defined by a strict five-part standard — clear broth, white radish, red chili oil, green cilantro/garlic, and yellow noodles. Dough is stretched and folded by hand into long noodles, boiled to order, and served in a clear beef broth with white radish, cilantro, garlic sprouts, and chili oil. 🍮 Dessert · Simmered Hui Douzi (Gray Pea Dessert) The 'hui' in the name means ash, after the alkaline plant ash (penghui) used to soften the peas, the same ash Lanzhou cooks traditionally add to… Speckled field peas are simmered slowly with a little alkali (traditionally penghui plant ash) together with jujubes and sugar until they break down into a thick, soft, sweet paste, served… 🍜 Noodle · Cold, fermented broth Jiangshui Mian (Fermented Vegetable Water Noodles) The soul of the dish is a jar of fermented vegetable water kept going for weeks, similar to a sourdough starter — each restaurant's batch has its… Wheat noodles are served in or alongside a tangy, naturally fermented vegetable brine, seasoned simply with scallion and cilantro, popular in hot weather. 🍑 Street Drink · Apricot Xingpi Shui (Dried Apricot Drink) The classic version uses Li Guang apricots from Dunhuang, a variety that, legend says, takes its name from the Han-dynasty general Li Guang. Dried apricots are pitted, chopped and simmered in big pots, often with a little hawthorn, until the liquid turns orange and slightly thick, then strained and cooled. It is served chilled… 🍜 Noodle Stall · Hand-Rolled Cuoyu Mian (Zhangye 'Rubbed Fish' Noodles) There is no fish in it: the name comes from the noodles' shape, fat in the middle and pointed at both ends like tiny fish. Pieces of dough are rubbed between the palms into short, tapered noodles and boiled. They are served in soup, tossed with sauce, or stir-fried with vegetables and meat.

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Part of World of Street Food — 3441 dishes from 118 countries. Photo credits.