"A bowl of cold noodle broth first, please."
In Yanji, a city in Northeast China's Jilin province, it is often the first thing diners order after taking their seats.
Served in a stainless-steel bowl, the clear broth is icy cold, balancing sweet, sour and savory flavors. One sip seems to melt away the midsummer heat. Then comes the main dish — long, chewy noodles resting in chilled beef broth. A pair of scissors accompanies the bowl, allowing diners to cut the long noodles into manageable lengths.
For first-time visitors, the ritual can be a surprise. For locals, it is simply a refreshing summer tradition.
As Major Heat, or da shu, the hottest of China's 24 solar terms, arrives on Thursday, people across the nation will seek relief from soaring temperatures. In Yanji, many turn to cold noodles, a traditional food of the Korean ethnic group that has become one of the city's culinary calling cards.
"In Yanji, once the weather turns hot, people naturally think of cold noodles, whether they usually eat them or not," said Jin Yongfu, manager of Yanji Fuwudalou Cold Noodles, one of the city's best-known cold noodle restaurants. "Even if they just want the broth, they'll head to a cold noodle restaurant. That is how they experience the real summer."
Behind the seemingly simple dish lies a meticulous process.
Yanji cold noodles are made from a mixture of buckwheat flour, wheat flour, sweet potato starch, tapioca starch and acorn powder, giving the noodles their signature flavor and dark hue. The dough is scalded, kneaded and pressed into thin strands, then briefly cooked and rinsed twice in cold water.
