Oat Noodle Rolls (Youmian Kaolaolao)

Oat noodle rolls are a traditional pasta of northern Shanxi and Taiyuan: oat flour dough is hand-pressed and smoothed into thin sheets, then rolled into hollow tubes stood upright in a steamer, emerging as a honeycomb of standing cylinders.

Said to be connected to laborers building the Great Wall in the Sui dynasty, oat flour became a staple of the northern Shanxi plateau for its cold and drought resistance and rich nutrition; the rolled tubes were easy to carry and eat, a tradition carried on for centuries.

Dipped in lamb-tomato gravy or mushroom sauce after steaming, or stir-fried; the oat's distinctive grain fragrance pairs well with the savory sauce, and the chewy texture is satisfying and nutritious.

Defined by the hand-rolled oat tubes standing in honeycomb formation after steaming, and the chewy grain-forward texture unique to oat flour.