How to make Taihe Banmian

Taihe Banmian, also known as Anhui Banmian, is a specialty snack in Taihe County, Anhui Province. The biggest feature of Taihe Ban Mian is that the noodles have to be constantly pounded on the chopping board before they can take shape. The key to making Taihe Ban Mian is to make the noodles well; other aspects are not very difficult. If you particularly like Taihe Ban Mian, you can try making it at home. So, how is Taihe Banmian made? Let’s take a look at it below.

The reason why Taihe Banmian has a unique flavor is that, first, the noodles are good, and second, the臊子 (because it has local characteristics, it is also called "Xinye臊子") is good.

The臊子 is generally made from beef and mutton, and is fried with more than 20 kinds of seasonings such as chili, fennel, pepper, Sichuan pepper, star anise, cinnamon, etc. The method is as follows: select tender beef and mutton with appropriate fat and lean content, and cut them into grape-sized cubes; fry dry red peppers in oil until they are browned and the color and flavor are absorbed into the oil, then remove them from the oil, drain them, let them dry and crisp, and smash them with a knife for later use; put the diced meat into oil, stir-fry repeatedly, and when the meat pieces are formed, add the beaten peppers and seasonings such as salt in due course, fry them over low heat to remove the moisture from the meat, and when the meat cubes are evenly colored and turn red, remove from heat and cool. The finished product of臊子 is exquisitely made with craftsmanship and skillfully controlled with cooking time. It is fragrant but not greasy, spicy but not pungent, salty but not astringent. It is agate in color, crystal clear and pleasing to the eye, and tastes delicious. A peculiar feature of this kind of臊子 is that it has a long shelf life and can be stored for more than a year without refrigeration. It will not spoil even in the summer and its taste will not change.

Food Production

Main Ingredients

Flour, salt, edible alkali, corn starch, vegetables, dried chili peppers, mutton, rice wine, MSG, and rock sugar.

Production steps

1. Make the soup

Select mutton fat and put it into the pot, add spices, simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes, and when the spices are fully flavored, scoop it out with a colander. Continue to heat the oil in the pot at low temperature, add dried red peppers and fry until fragrant. When the oil color gradually turns black, put the 3 cm square pieces of mutton that have been cut into it. Use low heat to simmer for about 30 minutes. Finally, add salt, rice wine, MSG, rock sugar, etc. to make a flavored soup.

2. Make the dough

Use flour and cold water to make dough, and add a little salt and alkali to fry the dough twice, set aside. Put corn starch in a cloth bag, cut the dough into rectangular pieces about 8 cm long and 2 cm wide, then pat them with corn starch. Finally, put them on the iron plate and cover them with a wet cloth for later use.

3. Cooking steps

Take the prepared rectangular dough pieces one by one, press them into sheets with a rolling pin, take 10 to 12 dough sheets in your hand, and smash them flat on the iron plate. After they are stretched, throw them into the boiling water pot. After the water boils again, add the prepared vegetables. Use a colander to scoop out the cooked noodles and vegetables, then put them into a bowl and pour a portion of the seasoning soup over them.