Hot and Sour Glass Noodles 酸辣粉 (suān là fěn) dates all the way back to the Three Kingdom Period. People also call it “Brothers” Hot and Sour Glass Noodles 兄弟酸辣粉 (xiōng dì suān là fěn). Three best friends invented these noodles, one became a king, one a general and one a God! Here’s the story behind this iconic bowl of noodles….
During the Three Kingdom Period, three best friends came together and shared a common goal to fight for their kingdom, Shu or Shu Han 蜀漢. They were: Liu Bei 劉備, Guan Yu 關羽and Zhang Fei 張飛. Their fame was further heightened when their stories were written into one of the most famous novels in China called Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義.
They were all warriors when their friendship began. As they fought in battles together, they became more than just friends, they became brothers. One day, they had dinner at Zhang Fei’s house and they decided to make a dish that would symbolize their brotherly bond. The long and thick sweet potato noodles represented the strength and longevity of their friendship. They added honey, pickled mustard greens, coptis (berberine is the medicinal ingredient in coptis and is very bitter), and chilis. These ingredients represented the four tastes: sweet, sour, bitter and spicy. In Chinese, we often describe life’s challenges with these four tastes, 甜酸苦辣 (tián suān kǔ là). And so it represented that they would go through all of life’s challenges together.
One of their famous quotes used in many Chinese movies and TV shows is “不求同年同月同日生, 只願同年同月同日死.” This means “we can’t ask to be born on the same day, but we ask to die on the same day.” That's pretty heavy stuff! Liu Bei became the King of Shu. Zhang Fei and Guan Yu were Liu’s generals. After Guan Yu died, he was praised for his loyalty and bravery and then they started to worship him. He is believed to be the God of War and is still widely worshipped today.
So, guys out there, know what you’re getting into when someone offers to share their Hot and Sour Glass Noodles 酸辣粉 with you! Do I hear “bromance?!”
My Hot and Sour Glass Noodles 酸辣粉 recipe doesn’t quite have a bitter taste, but that’s how most people like it. Some people make it spicier or more sour, and it’s up to you to make it your own. This is a Sichuan dish that is extremely popular in China. If you ever go to Chongqing where they’re famous for this dish, it’s a must try! But make it yourself first! I made it into a vegetarian dish because it’s easy enough to make it non-vegetarian. You can add any meat even ham or fish balls. Seafood would go great with this taste too.
Craving more spicy options? Try my Hot and Sour Eggplant 酸辣茄子 or Spicy Sea Cucumber Jellyfish Salad 酸辣海參海蜇伴青瓜.
Hot and Sour Glass Noodles 酸辣粉
Ingredients
- 125 g Sweet potato flat noodles , dry
- 600 ml Vegetable broth
- 2 cloves Garlic , minced
- 2 Chilis
- 1 stalk Green onions
- 1 handful Cilantro (I didn’t add any to mine)
- 2 tsp Light soy sauce
- ½ tsp Dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Vegetarian oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar (or any black vinegar)
I use Chinkiang vinegar aka Zhenjiang vinegar - 1 tsp Sugar
- ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder (or whole peppercorns)
- 1 tsp Sichuan chili sauce or Guilin chili sauce (or your favorite chili sauce)
- 2 tsp Oil
- 2 tbsp Spicy pickled bamboo shoots (from a jar)
- 2 tbsp Roasted peanuts
- 2 tbsp Pickled mustard greens
Instructions
- Mince 2 cloves of garlic, chop chilis, green onions and cilantro. Set aside
- Follow the instructions on the package to make the sweet potato noodles. Once they’re done, remove from water and rinse in cold water. Let it rest in a colander
- In a pot, heat 600 ml of broth until it comes to a boil. Once it boils, put the cooked sweet potato noodles in and let it come to a boil again. Turn off heat
- Put half the noodles and half the soup into each bowl (for 2 servings)
- In a small pot, turn heat on to medium-high, add 2 tsp oil and half the garlic, chilis and green onions. Fry until aromatic
- Add 2 tsp light soy sauce, ½ tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp Guilin chili sauce to the pot. Mix well. Turn off heat. Add 2 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar
- Use a spoon to spoon the vinegar sauce into each bowl of noodles. Mix well
- Taste test and make adjustments. If it’s too spicy, add some hot water and add more seasonings.
Since the chili sauces, soy sauces and broth may contain varying amounts of salt, you can decide if any salt or more soy sauce is needed - Once you’re happy with the taste, add 2 tbsp peanuts, 2 tbsp spicy pickled bamboo shoots and 2 tbsp pickled mustard greens.
- Add the rest of the garlic, chilis and green onions. Top with cilantro
- Serve
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