Dragon Beards: Chinese Noodles

"Dragon's Beard" is a Chinese speciality noodle more commonly encountered on the Chinese menu as longxu mian.

There are many types of Oriental noodles, depending on the size, raw materials, product shapes, processing methods, and preparation and serving methods. Many noodles that are the same have different names in different countries and even in different regions of the same country.

Noodle-making in China originated about 2000 years ago but there is still a dispute about whether China or Italy discovered this staple food first. In China the long thin strands of noodles are associated with longevity and are eaten at festivals, including birthday celebrations. Dragon's Beard noodles are specifically eaten in the month of February as a mark of respect to the Dragon which is then the rising lunar astrological sign.

Miantiao, namamen, ramen, chukamen, and chuka-soba Chinese noodles are all wheat flour based. They are mostly light yellow and have a rather slightly stiff or springy texture. It is made from hard wheat flour and is used together with water and "kansui" (a mixture of alkaline salts). Dan mien, chow mein, and lo mein noodles are made with eggs together with the flour to add flavour, colour and body to the product. Other flour sources used to make noodles include rice, mung beans (glass noodles) and potato.

Dragon's beard Chinese noodles are also wheat flour based. It is classified on the basis of the method used to make them - by hand - as well as their size, which is VERY THIN. Dough is rolled, stretched, swung, twisted, and divided repeatedly until these noodles are very thin and fine. It has been calculated that 144,000 strands of Dragon's beard noodles can be made in this way from only 1.5 kg of wheat flour - equivalent to 2 km of noodle.