Famous Food in East Henan: Cold Vermicelli: Summer Style and Authentic Home Cooking in a Smooth Bite
Within the vast expanse of the Central Plains, especially in the area between urban and rural areas in eastern Henan, whenever the chirping of cicadas gradually begins to sound in summer and the heat of the summer heat continues to evaporate upwards, there will be no shortage of fresh, refreshing and smooth cold dishes on the dining table of every household.
It may not be as famous as the unique flavor of Kaifeng's barrel chicken, nor as famous as Zhengzhou's famous braised noodles, but it has the characteristics of being simple and unpretentious yet able to make people feel refreshing and relieve the greasy feeling. It is really deeply engraved in the memory of local people's taste.
This is a very Central Plains flavor - cold vermicelli .
Here in East Henan, people call it "refreshing vermicelli" or more directly "cold three shredded noodles". It is a side dish that looks ordinary, but it contains authentic people's wisdom in coping with the hot summer.
Tracing origins and geography: the imprint of the Central Plains among fans
Vermicelli, as a food that often appears on the dining table in the Central Plains, is found in every corner from cities to villages.
Henan is not the only place of origin for fans, but it is an important place of consumption and re-creation.
The high-quality sweet potatoes and mung beans grown here provide excellent raw materials for making top-quality vermicelli.
In the past years when supplies were relatively scarce, a handful of storable vermicelli was a variation on the family's dining table.
It can be put into soup, dance and blend with mutton soup to form mutton scalded vermicelli with a strong fragrance, and can be combined with cucumbers and carrots easily obtained in the fields in summer to create this cold vermicelli that can be made quickly without using a fire.
The emergence of this dish itself is a demonstration of the ingenuity of the people in the Central Plains region in using local materials and transforming complexity into simple meals.
Landmark ingredients and craftsmanship: a triple concert of three flavors
To make authentic East Henan style cold vermicelli , the selection of ingredients is simple but very particular.
Those who are fans of the main character and those living in the local area are more likely to choose vermicelli made from pure locally produced mung beans or vermicelli made from sweet potatoes. After being soaked, the color of these vermicelli is translucent, the taste is chewy and smooth, and it will not turn into a lump after being left for a long time.
The supporting roles of cucumber and carrot are an indispensable touch of bright color.
The local cucumber with pointed flowers and thorns must be used. Cut it into thin strips. It smells fragrant and tastes crisp, tender and juicy. The skin of carrots must be peeled off and grated into thin strips to give a bright red appearance. It has a natural slight sweetness and crisp taste, which adds color and layer to the whole dish.
The soul of this dish lies in the complex aroma inspired by that spoonful.
The minced garlic cloves are minced, the white sesame seeds are golden, attractive and ripe, and the chili noodles are bright red. They are placed together in a heat-resistant bowl.
At that moment, a spoonful of scalding hot oil was poured down suddenly, and then there was a "sizzling" sound. The aroma of garlic, sesame and burnt chili suddenly filled the air, blending with each other and forming a prelude, which was strong and spicy.
This aroma is the most crucial subtlety of Yudong flavor. It can not only increase appetite, but also eliminate the monotonous and boring feeling of fans.
Place the soaked and chopped vermicelli together in a basin with julienned cucumbers and julienned carrots. No complicated cooking is required. You only need to add an appropriate amount of salt, sugar, and chicken essence to enhance the umami flavor, and then pour a spoonful of steamed fish soy sauce to increase the taste.
Finally, pour the bowl of passionate garlic sauce into it and stir it repeatedly with chopsticks, so that every vermicelli and every strand of vegetables can be evenly coated with the color and shiny luster of the translucent sauce.
When it is about to be served, sprinkle a handful of chopped and processed coriander segments into it, and then stir it evenly again. In this way, a cold vermicelli dish with good aroma, color, and taste and comprehensive characteristics will complete the task and have results.
Flavor code and identity: a blend of smooth, crisp and rich
Picking up a pair of chopsticks and stuffing it into your mouth, the first thing you experience is the smooth and chewy texture of the vermicelli, with a slight bounce between the teeth; then, the clear crispness of the cucumber and the sweetness of the carrot arrive successively, bringing freshness. It has a refreshing chewing experience; finally, the mellow aroma of garlic juice, the oily burnt aroma of sesame seeds, and the slight burning sensation of chili peppers bloom in the mouth layer by layer, blending into a complex and full authentic flavor.
The subtlety of this dish all lies in the word "mix". It does not require the pyrotechnic cooking method of frying and frying, but it can retain the original true appearance and pure taste of the ingredients to a great extent. It is an existence that families in the Central Plains region can fully deserve to call the **appetizer protagonist** at the summer dinner table.
Whether it is paired with a bowl of mung bean porridge or served as a side dish with wine, it can quickly impress diners with its outstanding characteristics of being light and refreshing, relieving greasiness and appetizing.
Authentic variations: homely and inclusive
In people in eastern Henan, the method of cold vermicelli is not static.
It is a dish with a strong "homely" attribute.
If you don't like the spiciness of raw garlic, you can directly add a few drops of pure finely ground sesame oil. The mellow aroma can also give this dish a refreshing and simple flavor; if you prefer a stronger taste, you can add a spoonful of home-fried chili oil to make the red oil wrap every vermicelli, making it even more spicy and enjoyable to eat.
This kind of inclusiveness that adapts to local conditions and varies from person to person allows such a simple dish of cold vermicelli to be passed down from generation to generation on the dining table of every household and remains fresh for a long time.
Next time when you arrive in Henan, you may wish to walk into the ordinary streets and look for an authentic cold vermicelli from East Henan.
Perhaps it does not have a gorgeous appearance, but it is the flavor symbol that best displays the simplicity and hearty characteristics of the Central Plains. It is the coolest solace that can soothe the hearts of ordinary people in summer.
It explains to us in the most simple way that truly delicacies are often hidden in the most ordinary days, waiting for thoughtful people to taste them.
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