Bamboo Noodles

What is known as the Cantonese bamboo noodles (in Cantonese “Zuk Sing” noodles) is a food familiar to many. The yellow, stringy and bouncy noodle is the very spirit in the Cantonese wonton noodle soup. Many people in Hong Kong and Guangdong would consider a bowl of wonton noodles to be the best, most nostalgic comfort food. I daresay the craving for wonton noodles runs in the blood of every Cantonese born.

There is no guesswork required to know that the wonton noodle consists of three parts. A good bowl of wonton noodles is the perfect repertoire of handmade wontons, zuk sing noodles, and the soup.

It Is All In The Name

The name “zuk sing noodle,” meaning “bamboo-raised,” comes from the technique that requires the use of a long bamboo staff in pressing the noodles. In Cantonese, a bamboo staff is pronounced “zuk gon” and the character “gon” rhymes with the word for “lowering.” As such it does not bode well for business. It then became a convention to change “gon” into “sing,” which means “rising” or “raised.” The name “zuk sing” then has the literal meaning of “raised by a bamboo.”

It is believed that the bamboo noodles originated from the Old Xiguan area in Guangzhou.

The Making of Bamboo Noodles

In all bamboo noodles eggs are always a key ingredient in the dough. Either duck eggs or chicken eggs are used. That is what gives the noodles its yellow color. Furthermore, sodium bicarbonate is commonly used in the making of bamboo noodle dough as well (see more below).

The process, as I imagine, is a sight to behold. The traditional technique for making zuk sing noodles involves the use of a long bamboo staff to apply pressure on the noodle dough. The dough is placed on one end of the two-meter bamboo staff.  The chef making the noodles uses his own body weight to press on the other end.

As the noodle dough is being repeatedly pressed, it acquires density and forms a bouncy and chewy consistency. Each session takes half an hour. Clearly, this process imposes a rather strenuous physical demand on the chef. In fact, very few noodle shops use handmade noodles these days, as machine-made noodles are so common and cost effective now. Hand noodle-making is considered an intangible heritage by the Hong Kong Government.

After pressing, the dough has to sit and air for a while, before it is suitable for cooking. This step is to ensure that the sodium bicarbonate that was added into the dough had enough time to evaporate, such that it will not affect the taste of the noodles.

The Chemistry of Bamboo Noodles

Sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda, is a common ingredient in both the making and the cooking of bamboo noodles. Baking soda consists of potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate. Mixed with hot water, these two compounds will give the zuk sing noodles its enchanting texture — silky, chewy and bouncy on the roof of your mouth.

Boiling baking soda with hot water is a common way to both make the noodle dough and to cook the noodles. Making noodles this way will also preserve the noodles longer. The baking soda water that is used for cooking the noodles is never served in the bowl. Instead, a prepared broth is used as the soup base that is served with the wonton noodles.

Finally, the Soup of Wonton Noodles

In the wonton noodle repertoire the soup is also a critical component that elevates the flavor profile of the whole bowl of noodles. Traditionally, the broth that is served with your wonton noodle is made by slow cooking dried flounder flakes, the shells of shrimp, dried monk fruit and licorice herbs. The rendered essences of these ingredients result in a broth that comes into your mouth light but with subtly complex umami flavours. People eating the wonton noodle for the first time probably would not be able to tell what were the actors that made such a harmonic repertoire to go with the wontons and the bamboo noodles.

Kwan Kee

Kwan Kee, a multi-year Michelin star recipient in Cheung Sha Wan, features handmade bamboo noodles made wholly in eggs. I certainly sensed the hard work that was put into the noodles, handmade on site at the restaurant twice a day. But if I must compare, I liked the noodles at Lau Sum Kee a tad better. The texture of Lau Sum Kee’s noodles is more chewy, and also a little smoother in the slurp.

What I found to be particularly well made at Kwan Kee was the broth that added a touch of delectable flavor to the whole bowl of noodles. That was certainly the highlight in the bowl. I liked my combo, with beef and wontons, for a jaw-dropping good price.

Lau Sum Kee

Lau Sum Kee is a historic restaurant in Sham Shui Po. As a third-generation owned noodle shop, the restaurant has been making its famous zuk sing noodles for over 70 years. The restaurant started in the 1940s, when the grandfather of the current owner, Lau Fat Cheong, was selling zuk sing noodles in Guangzhou’s streets. Lau Fat Cheong’s father came to Hong Kong during the Civil War of China, and began selling its signature, handmade zuk sing noodles in the streets of Shau Kei Wan.

It then found its roots in the equally famous food haven of Sham Shui Po in the 1950s. In the 1970s, the family acquired the license to run a dai pai dong (street stall restaurant) in Sham Shui Po. It found its permanent home in the 1970s when they secured a proper restaurant space, also in Sham Shui Po.

Of these three restaurants I have introduced in this entry, I enjoyed the zuk sing noodles at Lau Sum Kee the most. It is made with duck egg, and like Kwan Kee, it remains handmade to this day. Because I like the soup, I usually order soup wonton noodles. There are a lot of other choices, however, such as the lomein style (dry noodles) with beef brisket, also one of the favorite menu items for diners.

Even on a regular weekday, expect to have to line up for at least ten minutes during the rush hours.

Changping Bamboo Noodles

The Changping Bamboo Noodles is a chain restaurant serving traditional wonton noodles in Shenzhen. I visited its shop in Shajing, and was pleasantly surprised by how well made the noodles were.

I arrived before 11am as the only customer at that hour. The shop was getting ready and a lady was wrapping wontons. I observed how the fillings are mixed with large shrimps and plenty of ground pork. I knew this wonton would be good.

Besides the traditional menu items, such as wonton and beef brisket with noodles, Changping Bamboo Noodles also features crab paste. I ordered a wonton noodle with crab paste, and the hot soup was served on the side. It was already the most expensive combination on the menu and still quite a lot cheaper than a bowl of common wonton noodles in Hong Kong.

I inquired about the noodles there, and the staff told me that the noodles are shipped to them daily from their company. I was not able to confirm if the noodles were hand made, but chances are they were machine made, due to the volume involved for the many stores that this franchise brand runs in Shenzhen.

Sources

Time Out Hong Kong, Good Eats in Sham Shui Po: Lau Sum Kee’s Bamboo Noodles.

Guide.michelin.com, Bib Gourmand Recommended: Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodles.

The Wikipedia on Bamboo Noodles (Chin).