Lanzhou beef noodles

Lanzhou beef noodlesorLanzhou lamianis a type ofbeef noodle soupfromLanzhou,China. This dish has an extensive history, and the recipe differs by region due to cultural factors, availability of ingredients, and local innovations.
Lanzhou beef noodles are named after the city ofLanzhou, inGansuprovince, which stretches to theYellow Riverand was a stop on the ancientSilk Road. During theTang dynasty, theMuslimHui peopledeveloped a variation of beef noodle soup noodle that is compatible with the Muslim diet, with easy-to-prepare ingredients.Local lore attributes its creation to Ma Baozi (马宝子), a Hui Chinese man from Lanzhou.There are numerous beef noodle soups available in China, with a wider variety in thewestthan theeast.
An old saying states that Lanzhou has three treasures: "Auspiciousgourds, beef noodles, andsheepskin rafts".
Lanzhou beef noodles consist of hand-pulledlamiannoodles, and clear consommé broth made from stewed beef. It often usesqingzhen(halal)  meat and contains nosoy sauce, resulting in a lighter taste that may be flavored by salt and herbs. Because of this, it is sometimes called "Qingdunbeef noodles" (清炖牛肉面), whereqingdunmeans meat stewed in clear broth without soy sauce.
In halal restaurants, only quality local beef from theSouthern Yellow cattle(黄牛; 'yellow cattle') prepared by the local halal butcher is used.Chinese radish and a specially cooked spicy oil are also indispensable partners to Lanzhou beef noodles. To identify the ingredients and the dish, the local government news company suggests preparing the soup by the following five steps: "One Clear, Two White, Three Red, Four Green, Five Yellow" (一清、二白、三红、四绿、五黄). First, the beef soup should look clear; Second, the radish slides should be crystal white; Thirdly, the color of the chili oil should be bright red; Fourth, the green cilantro leaves and garlic shoots should be jade, and, lastly, the noodle should be smooth and bright yellow. In overseas Chinese communities in North America, this food can be found in Chinese restaurants. Inmainland China, a large bowl of it is often taken as a whole meal with or without any side dishes.
Traditional Lanzhou beef soup noodle could be made from any one of eight styles of noodles: Thinnest (毛细), Thinner (细面), Thin (三细), Thick (二细), Thicker (粗面), Prism (韭叶), Wide (宽面), and Wider (大宽).Thinnest or hair thin is "a round noodle about two-thirds of the thickness of a spaghetti", and the thinner style and thin style are just about the size of spaghetti with minimal difference. The thick and thicker style is round noodles that are sized thicker than thin. Prism, wide, and wider are flat thin noodles that provide a different texture. Additionally, a more novel type of noodle is Qiaomaileng (荞麦棱), in which the noodle is highlighted by its angular shape.To provide an example, take a look at the 1919 Lanzhou Beef Noodle restaurant for more information about the noodle styles.
Many restaurants across the globe include but are not limited to these seven types of noodle styles. This is because of the evolution of noodle making and the combination of the local culture. According toomnivore's cookbook, the Lanzhou hand-pull noodles should be even in its width and thickness, and the ingredients should also be prepared in 
certain dimensions.In mainland China, restaurants that specialize in Lanzhou beef noodle soup may provide customers to watch how the noodles are made, similar to the food production line layout ofDin Tai Fung. The dough for hand-made noodle is normally made the day before being used, but the hand-made noodles are freshly pulled into shapes right before being cooked. The noodle pulling process is quick and can take up to several minutes, including repetitively rolling, pulling, and spinning. Right after the noodle is in shape, the noodle is boiling until fully cooked.