In East China's Jiangxi province, noodles are more than just a dish -- they're practically a way of life.
In fact, most people here start the day with a bowl of rice noodles.
Such is the popularity of this dish that some locals have even compared having a bowl of rice noodles garnished with pickled radish and peanuts in the morning to savoring freshly harvested sea urchins from Hokkaido.
Official statistics show that Jiangxi, which is home to nearly 30,000 rice noodle restaurants, produced more than 1.4 million metric tons of rice noodles in 2020. Exports of rice noodles from the province accounted for more than 60 percent of the national total.
This dish appears to be just as popular among people from other parts of China. Data from food delivery platform Ele.me and online marketplace Tmall show that people aged between 18 and 24 make up about 33 percent of consumers who order instant rice noodles and takeaway meals online. The percentage rises to over 65 percent for consumers under 30 years old.
"Savoring such specialties is one way to gain an authentic experience of local culinary culture," said Fu Xiaoru, deputy head of the Jiangxi provincial center for grain and oil, science and technology innovation and material reserves, adding that more efforts should be made to cultivate a batch of leading businesses and well-known brands while exploring the stories behind Jiangxi rice noodles. The charm of this humble dish comes from its storied past and the multitude of flavor possibilities it has – the noodles are prepared differently in each of Jiangxi's 11 cities.
In the provincial capital of Nanchang, the noodles are usually tossed with sesame oil and garlic, and are paired with soup cooked in a jar.
In Xinyu, the smallest city in the province, the rice noodles are made using only high quality rice and mountain spring water. The complicated preparation process involves a series of steps that ensure the noodles gain an elasticity that helps them retain their form during boiling or frying.
Over in Yingtan, locals eat their noodles with braised beef and a bowl of spicy soup. This particular rendition of the noodles is more fragrant than those found in other parts of Jiangxi, and is a favorite of people who love heavy flavors.
In Anyuan county of Ganzhou, the rice noodles are usually boiled with the lean meat, liver and small intestines of pigs. It is said that the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) scholar and calligrapher Tang Bohu, also known as Tang Yin, once lavished praise on the dish in a poem after he was treated to a bowl of it during a tour of the city.
With these noodles being such an integral part of Jiangxi culture, locals have gone to great lengths to maintain its reputation as a local specialty.
At Poyang Lake Ecological Agriculture Co Ltd, a professional producer of Jiangxi rice noodles based in Yichun, a wide range of testing equipment is utilized to ensure that the products are free of additives like pigments and edible glues.
According to the company's general manager Cao Dongsheng, his factory uses 11 laborious steps that span about three days to transform rice into high quality rice noodles.
Jiangxi authorities have also been working to further promote the noodles as part of their three-year plan to raise the profile of local cuisine.
In mid-April, the provincial department of commerce unveiled a brand logo for Jiangxi rice noodles that aims to raise awareness about this famed specialty.
The local authorities have even sought to expand the influence of these noodles by tapping into star power. Liu Tao, a renowned Chinese actress and singer from Jiangxi, was recently appointed as the brand ambassador.
The most recent attempt to promote Jiangxi noodles was the hosting of the inaugural China Rice Noodle Festival in Nanchang. The festival, which ran from June 11 to 15, attracted more than 800,000 visitors and witnessed the signing of deals worth 150 million yuan ($23 million) in total.
The major highlight of the festival was an expo featuring products and services by 550 companies engaged in rice noodle production, processing and sales. The event had nearly 1,000 booths spread across some 30,000 square meters, making it the largest expo of its kind in the nation.
Jiangxi has been designated as the permanent host venue for the festival.
Source: http://subsites.chinadaily.com.cn/en/2021-06/29/c_637212.htm
