[Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodle Soup]
Yunnan is one of those places where you feel you’ve taken a step back in time, and guoqiao mixian – otherwise known as ‘crossing-the-bridge rice noodle soup – certainly adds to that perception. A dish that is based on love and loyalty, it is said that a scholar’s wife would prepare a bowl of noodles each day and walk the bridge to bring the noodles to him. Sadly, the noodles were always cold on arrival. Her solution? Pour boiled oil over the noodle soup to keep the ingredients hot en route. This solved the wife’s dilemma and thus the scholar was suitably fed – so well in fact that he successfully passed his exams. Guoqiao mixian is made on a chicken stock and served with meats (chicken, pork, fish), vegetables (sprouts, mushrooms), and noodles of course.
