Lanzhou Beef Noodles

Traditional Lanzhou beef noodle shops offer up to seven different widths and shapes of hand-pulled noodles, ranging from extremely thin 'capillary' threads to thick flat 'leek leaf' styles. Customers specify their preferred thickness when ordering, and skilled pullers produce all styles from the same dough.

Authentic Lanzhou beef noodles follow a tradition of presenting five colors: the clear broth is white from radish, red from chili oil, green from cilantro and garlic sprouts, and the noodles have a yellowish tint from the alkali in the dough. The fifth element is the clear beef broth itself.

The dish originated in Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province in northwestern China. The preparation tradition dates back over a century and is historically associated with the Hui Muslim community, which is why the dish uses beef rather than pork.

The broth is made by simmering beef bones for many hours while carefully skimming impurities and fat from the surface. This produces a clear, light broth that distinguishes Lanzhou beef noodles from the richer, darker broths found in other regional Chinese beef noodle dishes.