修元健康网Introduction
As a popular snack in Southwest China, cross-bridge rice noodles (过桥米线, guò qiáo mǐ xiàn) is a must-try dish for anyone who visits Yunnan Province. It is a simple but delicious dish consisting of thin rice noodles, a variety of fresh vegetables, and either chicken, pork or seafood, all served in a piping hot broth. The dish gets its name from a legend that a scholar had to cross a bridge every day to bring his wife her lunch, but by the time he arrived the meal was cold. To solve this problem, he put hot broth in a bowl and added thin rice noodles, meat, and vegetables. This is how cross-bridge rice noodles were born.
Ingredients
The ingredients for making cross-bridge rice noodles include:
Thin rice noodles (commonly known as “rice vermicelli”)
Broth (made from chicken, pork or seafood)
Meat (optional, such as chicken, pork or seafood)
Vegetables (commonly used are bean sprouts, Chinese chives, mushrooms, and lettuce)
Spices (such as garlic, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, and chili oil)
Steps to Prepare
To prepare cross-bridge rice noodles, follow these easy steps:
1. Cook the Broth
The broth is the most important ingredient in the dish, as it gives the rice noodles their flavor. Heat a pot of water and add chicken bones, pork bones or seafood to make the broth. Add ginger, garlic, and Sichuan peppercorns for flavor. Let the broth simmer for at least 1 hour to extract the flavor from the bones.
2. Prepare the Meat and Vegetables
Cut the meat and vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Blanch the bean sprouts, Chinese chives, and lettuce in boiling water for a few seconds to make them more tender.
3. Cook the Rice Noodles
Cook the rice noodles according to the instructions on the package. Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water to prevent them from sticking together.
4. Assemble the Dish
Place the cooked rice noodles in a big bowl. Add the prepared meat and vegetables on top of the noodles. Ladle the hot broth over everything in the bowl. The heat from the broth will cook the meat and vegetables. Finally, add chili oil on top to add some spice. Stir everything together and enjoy the delicious cross-bridge rice noodles.
Conclusion
Cross-bridge rice noodles are a tasty and healthy dish that is easy to make at home. From preparing the broth to assembling the dish, each step is essential to create the perfect bowl of noodles. Whether you’re a fan of chicken, pork, or seafood, you can customize this dish to your liking by adding your favorite ingredients. So why not give it a try and enjoy a taste of China’s Southwest cuisine?