Luosifen

Even though there is no definite answer to the legend of Liuzhou Snail Noodle. Many people still believe the origin of Liuzhou Snail Noodle can be traced back to the late 1970s, the date being no later than the early 1980s. Three stories are relatable to the legend:

Luosifen noodles are rice noodles that are boiled and placed in a soup or broth that consists of local river snails as well as pork bones. The noodles are boiled for up to three to ten hours, making preparations to take almost half a day. Along with boiling the noodles with the river snails and pork bones, other ingredients that may be used in cooking and preparing the dish would consist of black cardamom, fennel seeds, dried tangerine peel, cassia barks, salt, pepper, bay leaves, licorice roots, sand ginger, and star anise.[5] Once the soup or broth is ready, the noodles will at times be made from much older rice noodles to give the noodles a bit more of a chewy and firm texture. Other items will be added to the noodles to add flavor such as fried dried bean curd sticks, pickled bamboo shoots, black fungus, lettuce, peanuts, and preserved cowpeas. There may be other ingredients, but these are the most common ingredients used in restaurants and businesses that serve these “smelly” noodles.[6]

It should also be noted that though the broth that is used consist of river snails, giving the noodles and soup a mild, sweet flavor, there is no actual snail meat in the dish itself. Instead, depending on where people acquire these luosifen noodles, Luosifen noodle dishes consist of other seafood or meat items as well as containing a variety of vegetables such as cabbages. Depending on the restaurant or food stalls that serve luosifen noodles, customers may order their noodles that consist of pork chunks, beef, chicken, shrimp, or other meat and seafood items to add more to the flavor of the noodles.[7] The addition to chili oil, pickles, and other food items to add more flavor to the noodles as well as the broth.

Of course, creating these noodles are not that easy since not many people have a homemade recipe and usually, those that want to eat these noodles will have to look for them in restaurants that actually serve them or even purchase prepackaged packs that you either buy online or at a local market.[8] Finding a recipe for luosifen is uncommon and there is not much information on it unless visiting a restaurant that serves luosifen dishes, however, there are a variety of ways to prepare luosifen noodles, though the most common is to have the involvement of river snails in the broth or soup, many restaurants’ preparation and unique flavors make it difficult to know which recipe is more close to the original recipe or which is more true to how luosifen noodles are to taste. Many restaurants might use tomatoes, leafy greens, diced chicken, chile oil, and even chestnuts to give the dish a bit of a flavor as well as balancing with the richness of the meats that are used in the dish. Other restaurants will add more peppers or chili to give the dish a spicy flavor. Some would even use sesame oil, red chili, jalapeños, tofu, cumin, and other spices to bring out the pungent flavor of the noodles and broth. So finding the perfect recipe for luosifen noodles might be difficult, if ever you visit restaurants in China or any local restaurants that serve luosifen noodles, then giving them a try might make a huge difference on which noodles are considered the better recipe for luosifen noodles.

When preparing luosifen noodles from a prepackage pack, the most common step on how to prepare instant luosifen noodles is similar to that of instant ramen packages, or other pre-packaged noodles you would purchase at a convent store or buy online. The most common way to prepare instant luosifen noodles is of course to boil them in hot water, add the sauce to the water to make the soup, or prepare the soup separately if that is what you desire, add the fermented bamboo shoots or other vegetables that came with the prepackaged noodles, and the noodles will be done, a simple and easy way to have luosifen noodles if you cannot be bothered to go to a restaurant and would rather eat some at the convenience of your own home. There are many different ways to prepare instant luosifen noodles, but this is the most common way that many would prepare these noodles.

Luosifen noodles are a combination of Han, Miao and Dong cuisine. They are largely exported to regions across China, as well as to the United States and Canada, from South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region where they are a popular dish sold in street stalls. The Guangxi region of China borders Vietnam and is teeming with ethnic diversity which may account for the spreading popularity of the noodles. In Guangxi, there are eleven minority groups present. Over one-third of the population is Zuang. Others are Yap, Miao, and Dong. The Guangxi Zhuang region is also notable for its equally diverse scenery. It is known for its rivers, caves, and unique karst formations. One of the most famous rivers of the Guangxi region is called the Lijiang River. Many cruises travel this river due to its picturesque perimeter of towering limestone cones. The image of this river is seen on some of China's currency. The Guangxi region is also known for its stunning Transnational Waterfall which is layered in three cascading steps. Beaches and caves are also well known, as are, of course, the Luosifen noodles. One of the cities where Luosifen noodles are a predominant rage of a dish is called Liuzhou.

Liuzhou is the second-largest city in Guangxi. It has always acted as a center of communication, commerce, manufacturing, and export. As of recent years, it has become the most important industrial city and is the economic center of the province. In addition to the railways and highways that run through Liuzhou and make it the center of communication, there is also airway transport from Liuzhou which aids in the worldwide expansion of the noodles they export.

In the bordering country of Vietnam, a variation of Luosifen is served. It is another snail-based noodle dish by the name of Bún ốc. It is usually served with fried green banana and often with fried tofu. This dish is served as more of a side-dish or an appetizer rather than a main course. This variation has its origins in Hanoi Vietnam. In the early days, Hanoi was the political center of Vietnam. It then was conquered by the French and became the center of the French Colony of Indo-China. For many years, Hanoi was secluded from the outside world due to its involvement in wars and governmental issues. Today Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and is known for a rich and diverse culture that boast the resilience of the city. Hanoi is culturally diverse with Southeast Asian, Chinese and French influences.

The streets of Hanoi are somewhat organized by trade and many streets have stalls where household goods and street food is sold. The Vietnamese Luosifen variation can be found in whole-in-the-wall nooks, street food stalls, or luxury restaurants. Similarly, traditional Luosifen noodles are finding their way to make a presence in the most casual and the most elegant circumstances.

When the noodles are exported to the United States from the Guangxi Region they are sold in ready-to-cook packages, but there are also many Luosifen specializing restaurants that are considered luxury restaurants. Some were first established in Beijing, Shanghai, HongKong, and more recently, luxury Luosifen restaurants have been developed overseas as well. In fact, there are over five thousand Luosifen Restaurants ranging from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Canada, and the United States. Seattle, Washington is one of the most popular United States cities housing Luosifen restaurants. The dish has the potential to vary somewhat, utilizing what is available to and popular in the region it is served on. Most variations stay true to the base while adding different toppings or proteins. Some additions that vary by location include preserved vegetables, soy products, egg, pork knuckles, and duck feet.

Luosifen noodles are also becoming more popularized worldwide through a Chinese online store by the name of Taobao. Taobao is a popular Chinese site that is similar to Amazon or eBay, and it is one of the world's top-10 most visited websites. The name directly translates to “finding treasure website”. This store has greatly increased the popularity of luosifen, and caters to Luosifen lovers as it is host to five-thousand Luosifen Noodle shops, and there is a striking average of two hundred thousand noodle packs sold and shipped per day.

The Luosifen noodle dish was once just a hole-in-the-wall speciality of the city of Liuzhou. With the growth in accessibility due to packaging and shipping, it is now becoming one of the most widely known and loved Chinese dishes in all corners of the world.

The carefully prepared Luosi soup combines freshness with a spicy and full-bodied flavor that stimulates the appetite. Several stores in Luosifen sell this soup, cooked in slightly different ways because they are prepared with different ingredients. Recently, specialized restaurants have been opened in preparation for Luosifen, as well as other Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, and abroad.

• Bún ốc, a similar snail-based noodle dish in Vietnam