Crossing-Bridge Rice Noodles

The Yunnan specialty was created in the Qing Dynasty(1644--1911). A legend goes like this: There is an islet in the middle of Nanhu Lake in Mengzi couty in the south of Yunnan Province. During the reign of Emperor Guangxu (1875--1909), a scholar lived there to prepare for the imperial examination. His wife sent meals to him every day. Because of a far distance and the trouble of crossing a long bridge, the meals often got cold when she got to her husband. One day she cooked some rice noodles with chicken. But she fainted when she was ready to set off. When she came round it was sunset already, but she found the food was still hot because of a coat of grease on the surface. Her husband was very satisfied with the warm food. Later , at Suolongqiao (Locking-Dragon Bridge), in Limatian of Jianshui County there appeared a restaurant selling rice noodles. The restaurant improved the recipe and the food began winning fame around the place for its hot soup, fresh and tender meat with a special flavor. A lot of people crossed the bridge to the restaurant to taste the delicacy. Hen ce the name was widely spread.

Ingredients:

fat hen 750g, old duck 75g, 3 pork bones, pork fillet 50g, chicken breast 50g, snakehead fish 50g, beancurd sheet (1 piece), leek 25g, scallion 10g, M.S.G 1g, sesame oil 5g, lard 50g chilli oil 25g, salt 1.5g, high grade rice 400g, and a suitable amount of pepper powder and coriander.

Preparation:

1. Make hot stock with chicken, duck and pork bones.

2. Cut chicken breast and pork fillet into slices as thin as paper. Cut snakehead meat into thin pieces. Scald the above in boiling water and then put on a plate. Cut the beancurd sheet into threads, then scald in boiling water for 2 minutes. Then let cool in cold water for use.

3. Make rice noodles (process: steep rice, grind, steam, and press into noodles).

4. At dining table , first put in a big, deep bowl chicken and duck slices 20g, then pour in hot stock, and add salt, M.S.G, pepper powder, lard and chilli oil, and finally put in raw chicken, pork and fish slices. Slightly stir with chopsticks so that the contents get heated evenly. Add leek, scallion, coriander and rice noodles and serve.

Editor: Yang Xin