Noodles, which are said to have originated in China over 2,000 years ago, still have their universal appeal and the people of Boshan district – in Zibo city in East China's Shandong province – love eating them all year round.
There's a custom here that every household must eat cold noodles during the Summer Solstice, the 10th solar term of the year, which begins on June 21 this year and ends on July 6.
A delicious bowl of Boshan cold noodles. [Photo/zbnews.net]
At home, people first cook noodles in a pot of boiling water until well done and then cool them in cold boiled water. Next, make sesame juice out of sesame paste and salty cold boiled water. Then, pour the sesame juice onto the drained cold noodles. Finally, put the toppings – including minced carrots and pickles, scented cedrela sprouts and sliced cucumbers – on top of the noodles. Add aged vinegar and mashed garlic, according to different tastes.
At restaurants, however, there's one more step. Chefs make another sesame juice by adding vinegar and salt to the sesame paste and pour the sesame juice onto the toppings.
The toppings and sesame juice used in Boshan cold noodles. [Photo/zbnews.net]
Boshan cold noodles are characterized by a smooth and chewy texture, a salty and fragrant soup, crisp and delicious toppings, mellow sesame juice and appetizing garlic. The sesame juice makes cold noodles in Boshan different from those in other places.
Another way to eat the noodles is to eat them hot, while the sesame juice and spices are cold.
