ANN/CHINA DAILY – Rice noodles are an essential part of daily life in both China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Southeast Asia. In Guangxi, they are a staple food, commonly eaten for breakfast or as a quick snack throughout the day.
Meanwhile, in Southeast Asia, rice noodles are a key component of everyday meals, featured in a variety of flavourful dishes.
Below, we explore the similarities and differences between rice noodles from these two regions.
SIMILARITIES
Raw materials: Both Guangxi rice noodles and Southeast Asian rice noodles are predominantly made from rice as their main ingredient, resulting in a shared foundation despite distinct production methods.
Texture: Both varieties are loved for their chewy and smooth texture, appealing to palates across different regions.
Cooking methods: Both types can be prepared through boiling, stir-frying, or blanching, showcasing versatility to cater to diverse tastes and dietary preferences.
DIFFERENCES
1. Production process:
Guangxi rice noodles come in round and flat forms, with round noodles often extruded and flat ones such as Nanning’s noodle variations made using wet rice flour.
Southeast Asian rice noodles reflect diverse production methods. For example, Indonesian dishes such as Sambal Terasi incorporate shrimp paste and chili, while Thai rice noodles may feature lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves.
2. Ingredients and seasonings
Guangxi rice noodles: Typically served with shredded meat, cilantro, snow peas, pickled beans, and daylily flowers in a rich yet non-greasy broth. Optional additions such as chili oil and vinegar enhance flavours based on personal preference.
Southeast Asian rice noodles: Varied ingredients exemplify their rich flavours. For instance, Vietnamese pho includes beef slices, bean sprouts, cilantro, and a clear flavourful broth.
3. Cultural background
Guangxi rice noodles: Rooted in local ethnic and regional culture, Guilin rice noodles exemplify the area’s unique culinary traditions, featuring a distinctive sour and spicy profile. Southeast Asian rice noodles: A fusion of cultural influences, Thai rice noodles draw inspiration from Chinese and Indian cuisines, while Indonesian rice noodles offer a unique local flavour profile.
GUANGXI NANNING LAOYOU RICE NOODLES
Nanning Laoyou rice noodles are a revered delicacy in Nanning, originating from the ancient Laoyou noodles snack. This dish boasts a fresh and spicy flavour profile, combined with a rich, aromatic soup renowned for its appetising and comforting qualities.
The preparation involves stir-frying sour bamboo shoots, chili, fermented black beans, and garlic before adding lean meat, sausages, clear broth, rice noodles, and seasonings, resulting in a harmonious blend of flavours.
GUANGXI LIUZHOU LUOSIFEN NOODLES
Liuzhou Luosifen noodles, a popular choice in Liuzhou, feature round and stick rice noodles soaked in water and served with a sour, spicy, and aromatic Luosifen broth. Complemented by ingredients such as sour bamboo shoots and chili oil, this dish offers a distinctive taste experience.
GUANGXI GUILIN RICE NOODLES
Guilin rice noodles, a trademark cuisine of Guilin, are known for their tender and refreshing qualities, with a focus on a meticulously prepared seasoning broth incorporating beef bones and aromatic spices.
GUANGXI QUANZHOU RED OIL RICE NOODLES
Quanzhou red oil rice noodles from Quanzhou county deliver a spicy kick, crafted with fine rice noodles, red oil, meat broth, minced meat, and soybeans.
GUANGXI TIANDENG CHICKEN RICE NOODLES
Tiandeng chicken rice noodles feature poached chicken chunks in a flavourful chicken broth paired with rice noodles for a delectable combination.
GUANGXI BEIHAI SEAFOOD RICE NOODLES
Beihai seafood rice noodles, a standout in the Beihai region, showcase seafood toppings in the soup base for a seafood-infused delight.
GUANGXI PUMIAO AND WUMING FRESHLY PRESSED RICE NOODLES
Pumiao and Wuming freshly pressed rice noodles from Nanning flaunt a unique production process involving rice milk, wet dough molding, and steaming to create worm-like structures, offering a delightful culinary experience.
GUANGXI BINYANG SOUR RICE NOODLES
Binyang sour rice noodles from Binyang are beloved for their sour-spicy flavour profile, prepared using a meticulous production process with rice as the main ingredient and paired with meats and vegetables for a flavourful taste.
GUANGXI RONG’AN FILTER RICE NOODLES
Rong’an filter rice noodles from Rong’an county boast a delicate texture and unique production method, resulting in thin and smooth rice noodle strips suitable for boiling or stir-frying, catering to diverse flavor preferences.
GUANGXI YULIN NIUBA RICE NOODLES
Yulin Niuba rice noodles from Yulin district shine with a unique beef processing method, creating Niuba combined with rice noodles for a crispy, juicy texture and robust, flavourful profile.
MYANMAR MOHINGA
A beloved Myanmar breakfast dish, Mohinga features fine rice noodles in a flavourful fish soup enriched with onions, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and topped with sliced banana flowers, boiled eggs, and fried dough sticks.
MYANMAR SHAN NOODLES
Shan noodles, a traditional favourite of the Shan ethnic group of Myanmar, combine rice noodles in pepper soup with marinated chicken beef, sprinkled with roasted sesame seeds, garlic oil, and served with pickled vegetables for a delightful taste experience.
This dish features rice noodles mixed with a thick chickpea flour batter, chicken or beef, chili oil, pickles, and flavourful meat broth, resulting in a unique and satisfying meal.
MYANMAR MANDALAY SALAD NOODLES
A refreshing cold dish from Mandalay, these noodles consist of thin rice noodles, bean sprouts, shredded carrots, fresh vegetables, and a delightful blend of chili, vinegar, and peanut sauce.
CAMBODIA KHMER NOODLES
A popular Cambodian breakfast choice, khmer noodles comprise fine rice noodles in a fish-based broth, topped with green curry, mint leaves, bean sprouts, mung beans, banana flowers, and a variety of fresh vegetables.
CAMBODIA KUY TEAV
Cambodian Kuy Teav rice noodles, served with a rich beef bone broth, fresh bean sprouts, meats such as beef, tendon, along with beef balls, fish balls, offal, and seafood, and customisable with chili sauce and condiments.
CAMBODIA FRIED KUY TEAV
A flavourful variation of Kuy Teav, this stir-fried dish combines rice noodles with meats, vegetables, chopped peanuts, eggs, bean sprouts, and shredded carrots, making it suitable for any meal of the day.
VIETNAMESE PHO
The quintessential Vietnamese dish, pho boasts a clear beef broth made from beef bones, tendons, and ox tails, infused with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and onions which simmer for hours. Toppings of fresh beef, bean sprouts, cilantro, and lime elevate the dish, with beef pho being a national favourite.
VIETNAM STIR-FRIED PHO
An alternative take on pho, rice noodles are stir-fried with beef, bean sprouts, and onions, mixed with eggs, shredded carrots, and other ingredients.
VIETNAM VERMICELLI NOODLES
Vermicelli noodles feature rice vermicelli in a delicate chicken broth with vegetables, tofu, chicken, and cilantro, served in soup or stir-fried variations.
VIETNAM CRAB PASTE VERMICELLI SOUP
A southern delicacy, this dish showcases a unique crab paste broth with crab meat, shrimp, tofu, and bean sprouts, creating a rich and flavoursome soup.
MALAY FRIED RICE NOODLES
A popular Malaysian street food, Malay fried rice noodles combine thin rice noodles with eggs, dried shrimp, tofu, meats, sambal, and salted soybean paste, garnished with spring onions, chili, and lime juice for a spicy and refreshing taste.
