Lanzhou Beef Noodles

Lanzhou beef noodles are a local dish of hand-pulled alkaline wheat strands in a clear beef-bone broth, topped with white radish slices, chilli oil, garlic shoots and coriander and diced beef, held to the five-colour standard of clear soup, white radish, red chilli, green garlic and glossy yellow noodles.

The commercial history of Lanzhou beef noodles traces back to the early twentieth century and the refinements of Hui chefs such as Ma Baozi; the stalls around the city temple and Qiaomen alley gradually fixed the form, evolving from "hot-pot noodles" into today's clear-broth bowl, before spreading nationwide under the name of Lanzhou pulled noodles and earning the title of "China's No. 1 noodle."

Mornings into midday are the busiest hours. Diners choose a thickness from hair-fine, three-fine, two-fine and two-post through leek-leaf, flat and broad ribbon, the master pulling and boiling to order; one sips the clear broth first, then stirs in the chilli and slurps hot, the bowl most often taken as breakfast or lunch.

The five-colour standard, the remarkable range of hand-pulled thicknesses made to order, and the early-morning ritual of a city waking to the aroma of noodle shops are what set Lanzhou beef noodles apart from pulled noodles elsewhere.