Rice noodle, tomato, pork tenderloin, sour bamboo shoot, preserved black beans

Nanning noodle 南宁老友粉

Beef Noodle Soup 牛腩面

Saozi Noodle 臊子面

Cucumber 凉拌黄瓜

Beef shank, pickled chinese cabbage, lily flowers, peanuts, rice noodle, sour bean, pot-stewed egg

Dry Mix Noodle 干捞米粉

Chopped tomato and pork, bean sprout, cucumber

Zhajiang Noodle 炸酱面

Sour bamboo shoot, pickled chinese cabbage, vegetable, peanuts, lily flowers, bean curd skin, rice noodle.

Liuzhou Soup 柳州螺蛳粉

Beef shank, pickled chinese cabbage, vegetable, lily flowers, bean curd skin, peanuts, sour bean, rice noodle

Gulin Soup 桂林米粉

Housemade noodle, bean sprout, cucumber, peanuts

Liang Pi 陕西凉皮

Salt Spicy Chicken Wings 椒盐鸡翅

Cold Dish Pork Ear 凉拌猪耳

Pan Fried Dumpling 煎饺

Steamed Cold Chicken Spicy 口水鸡

Steamed Dumpling 煮饺子

Chinese Mo 肉夹馍

Pumpkin Cake 南瓜饼

Chicken Steak

French Fries 薯条

Veggie Spring Roll 素春卷

Red Bean Sesame Ball 红豆芝麻球

Popcorn Chicken 盐酥鸡

CodlDish Cucumber 凉拌黄瓜

Fried Rice 炒饭

Fried Noodle 炒面

Trim silver skin from the pork tenderloin and slice thinly across the grain into 1/8–1/4 inch slices. Place slices in a bowl and add cornstarch, 1 tsp light soy sauce, shaoxing wine, 1/4 tsp white pepper and 1/2 tsp sesame oil. Mix until the pork is evenly coated. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Prep pork

Core and cut tomatoes into 1/2-inch wedges. Rinse sour bamboo shoots under cold water to remove excess brine and roughly chop into bite-size pieces (about 1 cup). Rinse preserved black beans briefly and roughly chop or smash them. Thinly slice the scallions on the bias and chop cilantro. If using fresh rice noodles, separate and loosen them; if dried, rehydrate according to package instructions and drain.

Prep vegetables

In a large pot, heat 2 tbs neutral cooking oil over medium heat. Add sliced ginger and smashed garlic and stir-fry for 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Add the chopped preserved black beans and stir for 20–30 seconds to bloom their aroma. Add the chopped sour bamboo shoots and stir another 1–2 minutes to combine and warm.

Add the tomato wedges and cook 2–3 minutes until they begin to soften and release juice. Add 6 cups chicken stock and 1 cup water. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce heat to a simmer.

Season the broth with 2 tbs light soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbs black or rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste) and 1 tsp white pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to let flavors meld and tomatoes break down a bit. Taste and adjust seasoning — the broth should be savory with a mild tang from the sour bamboo shoots and vinegar.

While the broth simmers, heat a small nonstick skillet or wok over high heat until hot. Add a teaspoon of neutral oil and quickly stir-fry the marinated pork slices in a single layer for 1–2 minutes until just cooked through (no pink). Remove and set aside. This quick sear keeps the pork tender.

Bring the broth back to a gentle boil. If the rice noodles are fresh, blanch them in the simmering broth 20–30 seconds just to warm and loosen. If rehydrated/drier noodles, heat them in the broth 30–60 seconds until tender. Use tongs to portion noodles into serving bowls (about 3 oz or 340 g per bowl if making 2 servings).

Divide the cooked pork evenly among the bowls, placing it on top of the noodles. Ladle hot broth with tomatoes and bamboo shoots over the noodles and pork, ensuring each bowl gets a good amount of solids and liquid.

Drizzle 1 tsp sesame oil and 1 tbs chili oil over each bowl (adjust chili oil to taste). Sprinkle sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, and fried shallots on top for crunch and freshness.

Serve immediately while hot. Provide extra chili oil, black vinegar, and soy sauce at the table for individual adjustment.

chicken stock (low sodium)

water

ginger, sliced

garlic, smashed

light soy sauce

dark soy sauce

Chinese black vinegar (or rice vinegar)

sugar

salt

white pepper

fresh or rehydrated wide rice noodles (老友粉 / liangfen-style rice noodle)

pork tenderloin

tomato, ripe

sour bamboo shoots (酸笋), rinsed and chopped

preserved black beans (douchi), rinsed and chopped

scallions, thinly sliced (green parts)

cilantro leaves, chopped

fried shallots (store-bought or homemade)

chili oil

sesame oil

cooking oil (neutral)

cornstarch

shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)

Place the beef cubes in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover by 2–3 cm (about 2–2.5 l). Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Boil for 6–8 minutes until scum rises. Drain beef into a colander and discard the blanching liquid. Rinse beef briefly under running water to remove residual scum and set aside.

Parboil to remove impurities

Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the parboiled beef in batches to avoid crowding and brown on all sides, about 4–6 minutes per batch. Browning is for flavor, not full cooking. Remove browned beef and set aside.

Brown the beef

In the same pot, lower heat to medium. Add the smashed ginger slices, crushed garlic and smashed white parts of the scallions. Sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Sauté aromatics

Add the Shaoxing wine (60 ml) to deglaze, let it bubble for 30–45 seconds to evaporate alcohol. Return the browned beef to the pot.

Deglaze and combine

Pour in 3 liters of water. Add light soy sauce (60 ml), dark soy sauce (15 ml), rock sugar (15 g), and the smashed scallion whites. Tie the aromatic spices (star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon stick, dried tangerine peel, bay leaf) in a small piece of cheesecloth or place in a spice infuser and add to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil.

Add liquids and seasonings

Reduce heat to the lowest simmer (barely bubbling), partially cover and simmer gently for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until beef is fork-tender. Skim any foam occasionally. If the liquid level drops below the beef during cooking, add hot water to keep the meat mostly submerged.

Simmer until tender

When beef is tender, remove the spice pouch and discard. Taste broth and season with salt (about 2 tsp total, adjust), white pepper (1 tsp) and additional light soy sauce if needed. Keep the beef in the broth to stay warm or remove and slice into bite-sized pieces (shredded or chunky) as preferred. Keep broth hot over very low heat.

Season final broth

Bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Blanch bok choy or gai lan for 30–60 seconds until bright green and tender-crisp. Remove and immediately plunge into iced water to stop cooking if not serving immediately. Drain and set aside.

Prepare vegetables

Bring the braising broth or a fresh pot of water to a rolling boil (if using broth, be careful not to over-salt). Cook noodles according to package instructions (usually 2–4 minutes for fresh noodles) until al dente. Drain well.

Cook noodles

Divide cooked noodles among 4–6 bowls (this recipe makes 4 hearty or 5–6 moderate bowls). Top each bowl with 150–200 g of beef (sliced or shredded), blanched greens, and ladle hot beef broth over to cover. Garnish with sliced scallions, cilantro and a drizzle of chili oil or a splash of light soy sauce to taste.

Assemble bowls

beef brisket or beef chuck (cut into 1 1/2–2 inch cubes)

water (for braising)

ginger (smashed, 5–6 mm slices)

garlic (lightly crushed)

scallion (white parts only, smashed)

rock sugar (or granulated sugar)

Shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry)

salt (for seasoning)

star anise

Sichuan peppercorns

cinnamon stick

dried tangerine peel (chenpi) or orange peel

bay leaf

fresh alkaline egg noodles (or fresh wheat noodles)

bok choy or gai lan (Chinese broccoli), trimmed

scallions (green parts, thinly sliced)

cilantro (optional)

chili oil (optional)

light soy sauce (for finishing, optional)

vegetable oil

Soak dried black fungus or shiitake in warm water for 20–30 minutes until softened. Rinse, squeeze out excess water, and slice thinly (if shiitake, reserve soaking liquid, strain and set aside). Smash the ginger and trim the white parts of the scallions; set both aside.

Prepare dried fungus/shiitake and aromatics

In a large pot, add 6 cups water or low-sodium chicken stock, the ginger, white scallion parts, and star anise. Bring to a gentle simmer while you prepare the saoz i filling. Keep simmering gently while assembling to infuse aroma.

Dice the pork into small even pieces (about 1/4 inch). Dice the tofu, potato, and daikon into similar small cubes so they cook evenly. Pat tofu dry to reduce wateriness.

Prep the proteins and vegetables

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbs neutral oil and 1 tbs lard (if using). When hot, add toasted Sichuan peppercorns and broken dried chilies; stir 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not burned. Add minced garlic and the soaking-strained sliced mushrooms/black fungus; stir 30–45 seconds.

Toast spices and fry aromatics

Add the diced pork to the wok. Spread into a single layer and let sear 1–2 minutes before stirring. Stir-fry until pork changes color and begins to brown, about 4–6 minutes.

Brown the pork

Push ingredients to the side, add the broad bean paste (doubanjiang) and fermented soybean paste; fry in the oil 30–45 seconds to release aromas. Stir to coat the meat. Add Shaoxing wine and stir to deglaze, scraping up browned bits.

Build the flavor base

Add diced potato, tofu, and daikon to the wok. Pour 1/2 cup water to help steam and integrate. Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and 1 tsp salt. Stir gently to combine, taking care not to break tofu too much.

Add vegetables and sauces

Transfer the sizzling meat-vegetable mixture into the simmering pot with the aromatics (or add the simmered liquid to the wok). If you reserved mushroom soaking liquid, add up to 1/4 cup for extra depth. Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, until potatoes and radish are tender and flavors are melded. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or soy sauce as needed.

Simmer to meld flavors

Bring a separate pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package instructions until al dente (fresh noodles usually 2–4 minutes; dried 6–8 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup of noodle cooking water, then drain noodles and briefly rinse under warm water to stop sticking.

Cook the noodles

Add the cooked noodles into the pot with the saoz i (or ladle the hot saoz i over prepared portions of noodles). If the soup seems too thick, thin with reserved noodle water or additional hot water/stock to reach desired broth consistency.

Finish the soup

Ladle bowls and top with sliced green scallions, chopped cilantro (if using), a drizzle of chili oil or chili crisp, a dash of white pepper, and a splash of black vinegar if desired. Serve hot.

Garnish and season

water or low-sodium chicken stock

dried Chinese black fungus (wood ear) or dried shiitake

ginger

scallions (white parts)

pork shoulder or pork butt, finely diced

tofu (firm), small dice

potato, peeled and small dice

daikon radish or Chinese white radish, small dice

cooking oil (neutral, e.g., vegetable)

lard or additional oil (optional, for richness)

Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and crushed

dried red chilies, broken (adjust to heat preference)

broad bean paste (doubanjiang)

fermented soybean paste (tianmianjiang or miso) or light soy paste

Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing)

granulated sugar

water (for deglazing)

fresh or dried wheat noodles (lo mein / knife-cut style)

garlic, minced

scallions (green parts), thinly sliced

cilantro, chopped (optional)

chili oil or chili crisp

black vinegar (optional)

white pepper or ground black pepper

Wash the cucumbers. If using English/seedless cucumbers, leave skin on for texture; otherwise peel if waxed. Trim the ends. Smash each cucumber with the side of a chef's knife or a rolling pin until it cracks and splits open (this creates irregular pieces that absorb dressing better). Cut each smashed cucumber into 2–3 inch (5–7 cm) chunks and then roughly chop into bite-sized pieces. Place in a colander and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt over them; let drain for 10 minutes to remove excess water, then gently squeeze out remaining liquid and transfer to a mixing bowl.

Prepare cucumbers

Peel and finely mince the garlic cloves (or grate with a microplane). Thinly slice the scallion on a bias, separating white and green parts if desired. Roughly chop the cilantro leaves if using.

Prepare aromatics

In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Toast sesame seeds (if not pre-toasted)

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, chili oil, remaining 1/2 tsp salt (adjust depending on saltiness of soy), and black pepper until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust: add a little more rice vinegar for brightness, more sugar for sweetness, or more chili oil for heat.

If you prefer a slightly pickled cucumber, combine 2 tbsp water with 1 tsp rice vinegar and stir. Toss the drained cucumber pieces with this mixture and let sit 3–5 minutes before adding dressing. This is optional but gives extra tang and helps keep cucumbers crisp.

Pour the dressing over the drained cucumber pieces. Add the minced garlic, scallion whites (reserve some green slices for garnish), and chopped cilantro (if using). Toss thoroughly so cucumbers are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, soy, or vinegar as needed.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and scallion greens on top. Let sit 5–10 minutes to let flavors meld (or refrigerate 15–30 minutes for chill). Serve cold or at room temperature as a side dish.

English cucumber (or Asian/seedless cucumber)

garlic cloves

fresh cilantro (optional)

toasted sesame seeds

scallions (green onions)

soy sauce

rice vinegar

chili oil (or chili crisp)

black pepper

extra rice vinegar (for quick pickle)

Place the beef shank in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a rolling boil and blanch for 5 minutes to remove scum. Drain and rinse the beef and the pot to remove impurities.

Prepare and parboil beef

Return the cleaned beef to the pot. Add 1600 ml fresh water, smashed ginger, smashed garlic, tied scallions, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cooking wine and rock sugar. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cover partially. Simmer gently until very tender, about 2 to 2.5 hours (or pressure cook for 40–50 minutes). Add salt during the last 20 minutes of braise. Keep the braising liquid — you will use a small amount for finishing and it makes a good dipping broth.

When beef is tender, remove and let rest 10 minutes, then thinly slice across the grain into bite-sized pieces. Reserve 4–6 tbs braising liquid for the dish and keep the remainder as soup if desired.

Soak the dried lily flowers in warm water for 20–30 minutes until softened. Rinse, trim any tough ends, and cut into 1–2 inch lengths.

If using store-bought pot-stewed eggs (marinated), halve and set aside. If making quickly: simmer eggs for 7 minutes, cool in ice water, peel and marinate in 2 tbs soy + 1 tbs dark soy + 1 tbs rice vinegar for at least 30 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Briefly submerge the rice vermicelli (10 oz) for 1–2 minutes if fresh/thicker, or follow package instructions if dried — cook until just tender (al dente). Do not overcook. Immediately drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and to keep noodles from sticking. Drain well.

Warm the pickled Chinese cabbage in a small skillet over medium heat with 1 tsp oil for 1–2 minutes to take the chill off and reduce raw sharpness. Add the rehydrated lily flowers and stir for 30–60 seconds just to combine and warm.

If using sour fermented black beans (douchi), lightly rinse and mince them; if you have sour bean sauce, use as directed. Mix the pickled cabbage, lily flowers and sour bean into a bowl to form the vegetable component.

In a small bowl combine 2 tbs sesame oil, 1.5 tbs black rice vinegar, 2 tbs chili oil, 1 tbs light soy sauce, 0.5 tsp sugar, 0.5 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp minced garlic, chopped cilantro and chopped scallion. Taste and adjust balance between vinegar and chili to your preference. This is the primary seasoning for the dry-tossed noodles.

Place the drained noodles into a large mixing bowl. Add the warm pickled cabbage/lily flower mixture, sliced braised beef, chopped roasted peanuts, halved pot-stewed eggs (arrange on top later if plating), and the sauce. Add 1–2 tbs reserved braising liquid or 2 tbs pickled mustard greens brine to loosen and add depth (start with 1 tbs and add more if too dry).

Using tongs or chopsticks, gently but thoroughly toss everything together so the sauce coats the noodles and the vegetables/meat are evenly distributed. Adjust seasoning: more vinegar for brightness, more chili oil for heat, or a pinch more salt if needed.

Divide the tossed noodles among serving bowls. Arrange any remaining sliced beef on top if desired, place halved pot-stewed eggs beside the noodles, and sprinkle with chopped roasted peanuts, fried shallots, and toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle a little extra sesame oil or chili oil if liked.

Serve immediately as Dry Mix Noodle (Gan Lao Mifen). Offer reserved braising liquid or a small bowl of hot broth on the side for sipping or for those who prefer to loosen their noodles.

Nanning Noodle 南宁老友粉