Springy noodles seasoned with a tangy, spicy, savoury sauce, Liang Pi (Cold skin noodles) is one of the most popular street foods in the north-west of China.
A few days ago, I chatted with my friend Heddi (blogger of Cuisine Helvetica) about childhood snacks. Her memories involve lot of sweet treats, whereas mine are all about savoury food.
I told her that after school I often ran to a little street food stall with my friends and spent my pocket money on a bowl of Liang Pi (凉皮, aka cold skin noodles), a tangy, savoury, cold dish available all year round in my hometown. It was very satisfying!
Cold Skin Noodles, or liángpí (凉皮) are wide, flat noodles, usually made from wheat flour (though rice flour can also be used) and served cold in a spicy dressing with cucumbers, cilantro, and bean sprouts. The word “liangpi” literally means “cold skin.”
Tips on cooking it more efficiently
When the flour and water batter is ready to use, you need to pour it into a shallow tray (a few spoonful at a time) then leave the tray floating on boiling water to steam. To make this procedure less time consuming, I have two tips for you:
- Use a non-stick tray. You only need to coat it with a thin layer of oil for the first sheet of noodle. The following ones won’t stick to the surface (Find out how to choose the right tray in recipe box below).
- Use 2 trays to rotate. A smooth workflow of steaming and cooling will save you half of the time required (More detail on how it works in recipe box below).
Three indispensable ingredients to season
There are many ways to season a bowl of Liang Pi. However, three ingredients are indispensable:
I have written a post on how to make Chinese chilli oil in which I include a comprehensive version and a simple version as well.
Liangpi: The Weirdest Chinese Noodles (Delicious, Tho)
FAQ
What is the meaning of Liang Pi?
What is the history of Liang Pi?
Is Liang Pi vegetarian?
What is the name of Chinese cold noodles?
What is Liang Pi?
The mixture of flour and water is steamed into a thin “pancake” then cut into strips. Springy and elastic, Liang Pi has a very unique and appealing texture. As a popular street food in north-west regions of China, Liang Pi has numerous versions in terms of flour type (wheat or rice), preparation method and sauce.
What does Liangpi mean?
Liangpi means cold skin noodles. it contains no animal products. There are several ways of making liangpi: First, wheat or rice flour is turned into a soft dough by adding water and a little salt.
What is Liang Pi noodle?
It was very satisfying! Although translated as “cold skin noodles” in English, Liang Pi is very different from regular noodles. The mixture of flour and water is steamed into a thin “pancake” then cut into strips. Springy and elastic, Liang Pi has a very unique and appealing texture.
How to make Liang Pi?
The most common type of Liang Pi is made of wheat flour. Traditionally, a very particular method is applied in preparation: Make a dough with flour and cold water. “Rinse” the dough in plenty of water until it becomes much smaller and the water turns white (saturated with starch). Remove the dough and leave the cloudy water to rest overnight.