Jinshi Beef Rice Noodles

Jinshi beef rice noodles are the most famous food in Jinshi. As a local specialty that has become a daily staple for many, their deliciousness is beyond doubt.

Jinshi beef rice noodles are widely available, with shops selling them in almost every part of the country. However, the most authentic and flavorful version is still found in Jinshi – its place of origin. The noodles are tasty, fragrant, smooth, and not greasy. Together with Changsha's stinky tofu, they are regarded as two of Hunan's most characteristic local snacks.

The toppings (called "shaozi" in the Jinshi dialect) for Jinshi beef rice noodles mainly include: spicy and numbing beef, braised beef, clear stewed beef, beef offal, and soy-sauce beef. Secondary varieties include shredded pork, pork ribs, and three-delicacy toppings.

The birth of beef rice noodles can be traced back to the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, the policy of replacing native chieftains with appointed officials was implemented, and a group of Uyghurs from Xinjiang migrated and settled near what is now Jinshi, Hunan. As Muslims, they loved beef noodles, but since rice was the staple food in the region and wheat noodles were unavailable, they used local rice noodles as a substitute for noodles, thus creating the earliest version of beef rice noodles. In the beginning, the flavor was mild.

Later, the local Hunanese gradually accepted and improved it, making the flavor spicier and saltier, and adding other spices. This is how today’s Hunan beef rice noodles came to be. The person who truly popularized Hunan handmade beef rice noodles was Liu Longzi, a native of Jinshi. Some locals in Jinshi even believe that only their beef rice noodles are the most authentic anywhere. According to Huang Zhen, the fourth-generation inheritor of "Liu Longzi Rice Noodle House," Liu was a legendary figure. After returning from military service, he painstakingly developed a special "herbal recipe" for the rice noodle soup, making his handmade rice noodles famous far and wide for hundreds of miles.

The main ingredient of Jinshi rice noodles is rice. Through a special process, the rice noodles are made white, round, slender, and elastic. They are simply blanched in boiling water and then topped with seasonings. The rice noodles are smooth, tasty, and uniquely flavorful.

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn