Mixian (noodle)

Mixian

Mixian noodles served in pork broth with sliced pork, coriander, and chives
Type	Chinese noodles
Place of origin	China
Region or state	Yunnan
Main ingredients	Non-glutinous rice
Variations	Ganjiang mixian, suanjiang mixian
Media: Mixian

Mixian (simplified Chinese: 米线; traditional Chinese: 米線; pinyin: mǐxiàn) is a type of rice noodle from the Yunnan Province, China. These noodle are typically distinguished by their round shape, moderate thickness, and smooth, silky texture. They are normally used fresh and are commonly seen in stir-fry recipes, often served with rich broths and sauces.

Similar to glass noodles, rice noodles differ notably in texture. Traditional Chinese culinary texts, such as shícì (Chinese: 食次), refer to rice noodles as "càn" (Chinese: 粲). They are commonly called "sour pulp rice noodles" (Chinese: 酸浆米线), "sour noodles" (Chinese: 酸粉), "dry rice noodles" (Chinese: 干米线), and "rice noodles"(Chinese: 米粉). Rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, rice noodles cook quickly, evenly, and maintain their firmness when boiled, making them suitable for hot pot and casual dining.

The Crossing-the-bridge noodles (pinyin:guò qiáo mǐ xiàn) are the most popular way to eat Mixian.

Historical Development

The term "粲" in shícì, an ancient Chinese culinary book, is thought to originate from the term "精米" (jīngmǐ, or refined rice), representing finely crafted dishes. <齐民要术> (QímínYàoshù), a classical Chinese agricultural text, describes the preparation of “粲”: glutinous rice is ground into a fine powder, mixed with honey and water, and extruded through a perforated bamboo utensil, forming fine strands which are then boiled in oil. This meticulous process, which produced delicate rice noodles, contributed to the honorific term "粲."

In the Song Dynasty, rice noodles, also known as "米缆" (rice cords), were crafted into dry, silken strands suitable for gifting. The poet Chen Zao described these noodles as "one hundred feet long, thin as silk," indicating the artisanal finesse achieved during this period. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, the dish was called "米糷" (mǐlàn), with varied recipes documented, including one with finely milled glutinous rice and another with rice flour paste, seasoned with pepper, soy sauce, and green onions.

Production

Modern rice noodle production, particularly in Yunnan, utilizes two main methods. The traditional “sour pulp rice noodles” are made from fermented rice, yielding noodles that are resilient, smooth, and slightly sweet, with a unique rice aroma. The second, faster method uses rice flour extruded through a machine to create "dry rice noodles," which are easy to store and transport. Once dehydrated, dry rice noodles are ideal for quick meals and retain a firmer, chewable texture compared to their sour pulp counterparts.

Mechanization has differentiated rice noodles from similar products, particularly "Mifen" (Chinese: 米粉; rice vermicelli), commonly produced in southern China with additional ingredients like sweet potato or potato starch, giving them a softer texture and distinct storage properties. The texture of rice noodles, especially sour pulp noodles, is resilient and chewy, while "Mifen" is smoother and more tender.

In contemporary Chinese cuisine, “dry rice noodles” resemble Mifen in preservation techniques, facilitating long-term storage without spoilage. However, dry rice noodles are uniquely made from pure rice, unlike Mifen, which is more flexible in its composition. In regions like Yunnan, rice noodles maintain a distinct identity, whereas rice vermicelli found elsewhere evolved from rice noodles, showcasing both preservation of tradition and regional culinary innovation.

Nutritional Value

High-quality Mixian provide essential nutrients such as minerals, carbohydrates, vitamins, and enzymes. They are easy to cook, evenly textured, and resistant to overcooking. When combined with various veggies, meats, and eggs, they become even more healthful and tasty. The combination with spicy broth enriches their flavor while remaining easy to digest, making them appropriate for quick meals or fast food consumption.

Rice noodles provide essential energy from starch, which helps with brain function, and their dietary fiber encourages healthy digestion. They also help to conserve body protein and have a warming effect on the stomach, which is beneficial for easing stomach cold symptoms. They are also helpful for spleen and stomach, helping with illnesses like indigestion. Although rice noodles lose some nutrients when soaked, mixing them with a variety of seasonings helps to preserve their nutritional value and flavor.

Serving

Mixian is served in various ways, either in broth or stir-fried.

Stir-fried

Stir-fried preparation is rapid, most common in the evening, and is popular at roadside barbecue-type stands throughout Yunnan. Egg, tomato, meat, spring onion and chilli are frequently utilized.

Spicy Mixian (rice noodle)

Broth

Beef mixian and condiments in a restaurant in China. The broth includes chrysanthemum flowers

Condiments vary significantly but may typically include some subset of the following:

• chicken powder or essence
• chili pepper (diced fresh chili, plus at least one or two prepared chilli pastes, often mixed with oil)
• chrysanthemum flowers
• coriander
• mint
• garlic (often finely diced, in liquid suspension, or in thin sectioned slices)
• ginger (as above, but less commonly in slices)
• pepper (both regular pepper and powdered or whole Sichuan pepper)
• salt
• sesame oil
• Sichuan pepper oil
• soy sauce
• spring onion
• suan cai (pickled or preserved vegetable)
• tomato
• vinegar
• wood ear mushroom
• zhe'ergen (a spicy root common to southwestern China).

Varieties of Rice Noodle Dishes

Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles

Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles is a popular Yunnan, China delicacy with a lengthy history. Its preparation is unique: a rich broth prepared from chicken, pork bones, ham, and duck serves as the foundation. Raw rice noodles are then added to the boiling broth and cooked, followed with veggies and seasonings. The recipe is finished by adding an egg yolk and sesame oil to the soup and garnishing with chopped green onions and cilantro. This procedure maintains the freshness and flavor of the components.

Dry Mixed Rice Noodles

Dry Mixed Rice Noodles are a popular dish known for being served without broth. Instead, they're spiced with scallions, garlic, ginger, chili sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and crushed peanuts. Additional toppings like as minced meat, tofu strips, and eggs improve the flavor of the noodles, making them flavorful, dry, and silky. This recipe is perfect for a quick breakfast or lunch.

Meat Bone Rice Noodles

Meat Bone Rice Noodles are a nutritious dish made with pork bones, tendons, and shredded pork as the key ingredients. The pork bones are cooked until soft, and the rich broth is absorbed by the rice noodles, keeping them savory and tasty. Ginger, garlic, and cilantro are frequently used for seasoning.

Sour and spicy rice noodles

Sour and spicy rice noodles are popular for their refreshing flavor. The noodles are combined with vinegar, chile oil, crushed peanuts, and other seasonings to get a sour and spicy balance. Thin slices of tofu, cucumber, and radish are typically added for extra texture and nutrients, making this dish an ideal choice for a light and refreshing dinner, especially in the summer.

Geographic extent

Mixian is relatively similar to noodles consumed in neighbouring Laos (feu) and Vietnam (phở), with the key difference that the base mixian broth is usually heavily personalized by the customer in Yunnanese tradition, and the establishment's own pre-made broth is less adulterated and more significantly appreciated/judged as a key factor in Vietnam (and perhaps to a lesser extent Laos). Dishes like nan gyi thohk and baik kut kyee kaik in various parts of Myanmar are based on a similar dimension of rice noodle but differ broadly in flavour profile (tending more toward flavours in Indian cuisine with ingredients such as chickpea flour) and preparatory method (far greater use of frying). It is more common in unadulterated Yunnanese form in commercial centers of Myanmar with growing Chinese populations, such as Mandalay. Dishes in Thailand such as pad thai also rely on rice noodles, though often they are flat and therefore more similar to Chinese juanfen or Yunnanese migan. A Tibetan broth-based noodle dish using wheat-flour instead of rice-flour noodles, thukpa, is thought to have originated in eastern Tibet (i.e. closer to Yunnan) and is made and enjoyed throughout Bhutan, Northeast India, Nepal, Sikkim and Tibet.

See also

• Migan (noodle)
• Rice, History of domestication and cultivation
• Yunnan cuisine
• Khanom chin, a Thai fermented-rice noodle