Linze pork noodles

Linze pork noodles. [Photo/WeChat account: meilizhangye]

Linze pork noodles, a signature dish from Linze county in Zhangye, begin with carefully prepared wheat flour.

Grown in the Hexi Corridor and fed by snowmelt from the Qilian Mountains, the local winter wheat produces high-gluten flour, which is kneaded with rock salt and plant-ash alkali through an eight-step process using locally sourced ingredients.

The dish's secret lies in its clear, fresh broth. Simmered for hours with pork bones, free-range chicken, and pigeon, the broth is infused with spices like star anise and Sichuan pepper. The result is a fragrant, non-greasy soup.

The hand-pulled noodles are boiled briefly, ensuring a perfect texture, before being served piping hot. They are topped with thinly sliced braised pork, fried tofu, cowpeas, celery, and green garlic shoots.

Unlike Lanzhou beef noodles, Linze pork noodles are characterized by clear yet rich broth, resilient noodles, and harmonious toppings.

The noodles reflect the local culinary wisdom, blending agricultural and nomadic influences. It's more than a meal — it's a part of the culture ritual and symbol of the enduring, unhurried pace of life in this county along the Hexi Corridor.