liuzhou

It might sound off-putting, but a Xi 'an favourite is 凉皮 (liáng pí) - literally 'cold skin', another noodle dish. In this type, the noodle making method is somewhat unusual. They are made from flour (wheat or rice) mixed with lightly salted water to make a dough. So far nothing unusual. The dough is then rinsed again and again with more water until all the starch is removed. The rinsing water is reserved and when all the starch has been extracted, the dough is discarded or used in another application (see below). The starchy water is rested overnight. The starch settles to the bottom and is collected, with the clear water being discarded. The starch is then spread out into a layer to make a 'skin' and steamed until it sets into a sheet. It is then cooled and sliced into thick noodles. The noodles are always served cold, often from street side carts (and Xi'an can be bitterly cold in winter). They are mixed with various vegetables including bean sprouts, cucumber, carrot, daikon radish, peanuts etc and covered in a spicy sauce. The discarded dough is often used to make seitan aka wheat gluten which is also frequently served in the dish.

U of Guelph investigates buttergate and suggests culprit could be higher levels of palmitic acid

You can put any guess in, but that one is nowhere near. I'm not going to elaborate and call down the 'off-topic' police.

The Chinese noodle dish whose name doesn't exist - BBC The dish is not new. It was just recently renamed. I lived in Xi'an in 1996-97 and the biáng name didn't exist then. Some restaurants still sell it under the old name - 油泼扯面 (yóu pō chě miàn). And here is the Chinese "character" in question. It is just a marketing gimmick.

Xi'an is my favourite city in China for food. Not my favourite Chinese cuisine*, but favourite city. I lived there for a while in the 1990s and have returned many times since. It is almost bang in the centre of China, was the Tang dynasty's capital and was the starting point of the Silk Road. As a result, it has absorbed and developed its cuisine from all over China and beyond. Also, it has a large Muslim population which has hugely influenced the cuisine. Luckily, I have an excellent Xi'an restaurant near my home owned and staffed by Xi'an natives so I don’t go without. I'll try to post as much about its many dishes as I can. * That is Hunan cuisine – especially in the west of the province.

Some background

Yes. I freeze it all the time. Couple of pâtés in the freezer right now.

I've been making it for decades. Made some chicken liver pâté yesterday. But I also make pork liver pâté. Never mixed the two before, though. Might give it a try.

You certainly do. A great looking bánh mì. Now you have to make your own liver pâté!

Beer battered sea bass with chips and bits*. As a kid, I'd pick up a bag of bits on the way home from school. Never paid for them. Unheard of back then. Anyway, today's were home made.

Hunan blood sausage, pork sausage and fried egg. The egg burst. Oh well.

Do you know what it really means? If not, are you sure you want to?

er, not so much a chance. more a certainty.

My apologies. I have no idea what Mama's Tease is referring to. There is nothing in the Chinese with such a meaning. But, every day I see products and stores with random English names. They think it is exotic. Just like all the westerners who ask me what their "Chinese" tattoos mean. They are seldom Chinese at all; just random characters or even random Japanese.

Sure. They are a prized type of dried shiitake known in Chinese as 花菇 huā gū, literally 'flower mushroom'. The Chinese consider that the pattern of the cracked cap resembles the petals of a flower. Whether they taste any better than regular shiitake is a matter of opinion. There is a lot more on Chinese mushrooms here.

Fried Frog with Friends

Me too. As the article mentions. Well, it doesn't mention me! But it does reference the older English name.

I wonder how it compares with Xi'an food in Xi'an.

Yes. I thought the same. I guess the author is in New York. The US BBC office is in NY, I believe.

Yes, the article also mentions the father.

I've recently become aware of the existence of this chain of Xi'an restaurants in NewYork. Are there more elsewhere? They were recenty referenced in a BBC article about biang biang noodles.

Braised chicken legs with fresh shiitake 'flower' mushrooms - 花菇 (huā gū), garlic (lots), wine, pepper (lots). Papaya in soy sauce, garlic, chilli, sugar, 白酒 (bái jiǔ) Chinese sorghum spirit, and spices (store bought - see image). Served with orzo and a side of wilted spinach. 'Flower' shiitake mushrooms. Papaya Shreds

杨梅（yáng méi) Chinese bayberries (Myrica rubra)

I know. I'm half French. My French grandmother made lentil salad all the time. But she is long gone.