A lamian master pulls noodles. Photos: Shen Sijia

By Shen Sijia

Making noodles may look simple, but the chefs from Lanzhou in Gansu Province have turned it into a veritable art form. The Global Times went in search of authentic hand-pulled noodles (lamian in Chinese) from Lanzhou – available right here in Shanghai.

Five colors

There are certain recognized standards for judging a good bowl of Lanzhou lamian.

And even without tasting, a noodle fan can judge the quality of the dish from the display of colors it will boast when it arrives at the table: yi qing (clear), er bai (white), san lv (green), si hong (red) and wu huang (yellow).

"If the noodle dish can meet this requirement, then it's authentic," said a 25-year-old noodle master at the Muslim Lanzhou Noodle Restaurant in Yangpu district, who asked not to be named.

Han Qi, a magazine designer who was born in Gansu Province and who currently lives in Shanghai, explained to the Global Times exactly what "yi qing, er bai, san lv, si hong, wu huang" means.

"The beef or lamb broth should be very clear, as well as being very aromatic," he said. "In the markets scattered throughout Shanghai, there are small, Lanzhou-style noodle shops which claim to be authentic, but this isn't always the case. Lots of Lanzhou noodle places serve a dark colored broth, or one with a curry-yellow color; that's not how it should be."

The clear broth, that Han advocates, is usually made with tender yak meat and beef leg bones. Occasionally chicken broth is also added to the mix.

"The er bai (white), represents a pure white, thinly sliced radish. San lv (green), meanwhile, is the delicately sliced, yet generous portion of cilantro and scallions on top. Si hong (red), is the bright red color created by the diced pepper. Finally, the wu huang (yellow) refers to the yellowish colored noodles."

Topping it all off

Normally, sliced or chopped beef or lamb is used as the topping alongside the scallions. However, less is used in low-end restaurants where the noodle dishes aren't that expensive. This means that customers will have to request more beef or lamb as a separate order. 

Even though the handmade noodles won't be exactly uniform, the best eateries try to prepare them to the same width and length. In an authentic Lanzhou lamian restaurant, you can usually find several options. Besides the standard lamian and daoxiaomian, there are also varieties such as mao xi (thin as a hair), xi (thin), xiao kuan (wide) and da kuan (very wide).

Buying a bowl of noodles – from first ordering, to it being served at the table – usually takes less than 10 minutes. Firstly, the larger pieces of dough are split into medium-sized pieces. During this process, each piece is usually pulled to the span of about an arm's length. The puller will loop this around and around until the clump of dough is transformed into the desired thickness for the noodle required. All the while the puller will skillfully insert his fingers between the separate loops to avoid the dough sticking back together again.  

This process of pulling and "slapping" of the dough onto the prep board (in order to create more even-sized strips) is usually done several times, depending on how wide the noodles are to be. Usually it will require 10 revolutions of looping and slapping for extra thin pieces. For medium-sized noodles, six to seven rounds will usually suffice.

Where to find in Shanghai

We would recommend two authentic Lanzhou lamian restaurants in Shanghai. The Dunhuang Lanzhou Muslim Beef Noodle Restaurant in Putuo district claims that the flour they use is sourced directly from Gansu Province, as is the lamb and beef used.

The Muslim Lanzhou Noodle Restaurant, meanwhile, claims to be the largest Lanzhou lamian chain in China.

In both restaurants, the highest standards of service and authenticity are rigorously adhered.

First and foremost, most of the employees – chefs, waitstaff and cashiers – are Lanzhou natives.

Secondly, the broths on offer are crystal clear, with attractive red and green colors in the garnishes.

It's also true to say that the beef flavor in the broths is still potent long after it has been finished. The texture of the noodles are also chewy and cooked to perfection.

Dunhuang Lanzhou Muslim Beef Noodle Restaurant
Add: 2220 Zhongshan Road North, near Zhenping Road
Average price per person: 12 yuan

Muslim Lanzhou Noodle Restaurant
Add: 19 Guoding Road, near Siping Road
Average price per person: 6 yuan