Yi mein

Yi mein (also called e-fu noodles, yee-fu noodles, yi noodles, or yifu noodles) is a variety of flat Chinese egg noodles made from wheat flour. They are known for their golden yellow color and chewy characteristics. The slightly chewy and slightly spongy texture of the noodles is due to the soda water used in making the dough (as opposed to regular non-carbonated water). The noodles are used most frequently in the Cantonese cuisine of Southern China and Hong Kong. They are also popular among overseas Chinatowns.

The noodles are most often commercially available in dried form, in plastic packages. They come in the form of flat patty-like dried bricks. ^{[http://www.foodsubs.com/Photos/e-funoodles.jpgphoto]} The processing involves the fresh noodles being fried, then dried into this form.

Preparation

The noodles may be cooked a number of ways. They are boiled first, then can be stir fried or used in soups or salads. Good noodles maintain their elasticity, allowing the noodles to stretch and remain chewy.

Dishes

"Yi mein" noodles can be consumed directly or used in various dishes. The following are some very common variations.

* Plain "yi mein"
* Plain "yi mein" with Chinese chives (韭王)
* Dried fried "yi mein" (乾炒伊麵)
* Crab meat "yi mein" (蟹肉伊麵)

Traditions

When Yi mein is consumed on birthdays, it is generally referred to as Longevity noodles or Sau mein (壽麵/寿面). The Chinese character for "long" (長壽麵/长寿面) is also added as a prefix to represent "long life". Usually it is consumed with longevity buns during birthday celebrations.

Gallery

External links

* [http://www.foodsubs.com/NoodlesWheat.html E-fu noodles] from The Cook's Thesaurus site

ee also

* Chinese noodles