Some dishes have changed over time. Following the movement of human population, they are influenced by other cuisines or blend into a newfangled environment. One of those dishes is janus-faced pan-fried noodles, or liang mian huang .
originally, liang mian huang was a kind of dry fried noodles that was widespread in Shanghai and Suzhou.（Photo : man Wai Leung）
Originated From Shanghai And Suzhou
Liang mian huang started out as a traditional noodle smasher from Shanghai and Suzhou. In the South of the Yangtze River, noodles are normally served in broth. But the dry liang mian huang provided diners a popular option. It boasted the nickname of “ the king of noodles ” and was served in celebrated attic joints such as Guan Zheng Xing and Zhu Hong Xing in Suzhou.
Basically, the serve is dry pan-fried noodles. Cooked noodles are fried in a pan — they slowly turn gold and crispy on low heat. The name liang mian huang ( which literally translates to two sides yellow ) refers to the hue of cook noodles on both sides.
Though crisp outdoor, the inside of the noodles is still damp. newly stir-fried ingredients – normally sliced pork or shrimps mixed with other ingredients – are poured on acme at this point. The hot, thick sauce lento penetrates every train of thought of the crunchy noodles. Besides the fantastic taste, the noodles ’ double-layered texture is the dish ’ sulfur most desire trait .
Influenced by liang mian huang, Cantonese sliced pork barrel electrocute noodles lento transitioned from stir-frying to pan-fry or deep-frying.（Photo : man Wai Leung）
Southern Remake
Upon arriving in Hong Kong, the delightful liang mian huang did not take hanker to get democratic among the Cantonese and Teochew communities. traditional yue fried noodles are made from stir-frying, but with a wave of Shanghainese immigrating to Hong Kong in the middle of the last century, it lento adopted the approach of liang mian huang. Some said Run Run Shaw, Chan Din Hua and other tycoons of Suzhou-Zhejiang origin would specify to have their noodles fried in liang mian huang dash when they went to eat dim sum. Since then, cooks began to adapt the proficiency of frying noodles on a wide-eyed context.
At that long time, celebrated tea houses like Luk Yu and Lin Heung all served yue noodles sizzled in a pan rather stir-fried in a wok. This method represented the taste of the Shanghainese businessmen, who were seen as connoisseurs in the gastronomic populace. many yue cooks followed lawsuit, and this played a big role in how yue electrocute noodles are made now.
Cantonese fried noodles were once pan-fried to achieve a crunchy-outside, soft-inside texture. Yet this conscientious cooking method acting has been replaced by more time-saving french-fry nowadays. Cooked in a wok full of oil, the noodles come out gilded and crisp. A sauce with slices of pork barrel, shiitake mushroom, spring onion along with garlic chives and bean sprout flavours the noodles. The cup of tea is finally served with Chinkiang vinegar. Part-crunchy part-soft, the noodles tastes incredible with an extra kick from the pork barrel and vinegar .
Teochew-style liang mian huang is crisp and delicate at the like time. Dipped into aged vinegar and sugar, the dulcet and off recoil offsets the heaviness of the noodles.（Photo : man Wai Leung）
Teochew Sugar and Vinegar Noodles
When it comes to Teochew noodles, liang mian huang is considered as a yardstick. What is now called Teochew l iang mian huang was originally called boodle and vinegar noodles. Chef-owner Or Yat Ying from Wah Yuen Chiu Chow Restaurant, who has more than thirty years of cooking experience, knows the whole report about this.
“ Sugar and vinegar noodles are besides pan-fried, but entirely on one side, unlike Shanghai liang mian huang which is fried on both sides. In the old days, the Shanghainese diners who went to Teochew restaurants asked for the noodles to be cooked crisp on both sides. Teochew people followed befit, and lento changed the way sugar and vinegar noodles were cooked. Since then, people began to call it liang mian huang. ”
alternatively of regular egg noodles, Teochew noodles called for duck eggs. Combined with flour, the noodles have a deep aroma of egg and a bouncy texture.
The cook process is an act of delicacy. The natural noodles are inaugural dipped in hot oil cashbox it is 70 percentage cooked. The noodles soak up flavours of the broth, before it is pan-fried ( on one or two sides ) to a golden hue and crispen texture. The interior of the noodles is keep soft to provide a pleasant contrast to its crisp outside. Aged vinegar and sugar are added to the noodles before it is eaten. The sweet and sour kick stimulates the diners ’ appetite and reduces the burdensomeness caused by french-fry. The vinegar draws the fresh season of the broth residing in the noodles. Savoury and dessert at the like time, this time-honored cup of tea is a sensation .
This article was written by Man Wai Leung and translated by Vincent Leung. Click here to read the original version of this story.
Written by Michelin Guide Digital-Hong Kong Macau
