Yunnan, a southern province of China, is famous for its beautiful natural scenery and diverse culinary culture, which not only attracts domestic people but also attracts the attention of international tourists. Among them, cross-bridge vermicelli is also a unique specialty here. The story behind this dish that is said to have existed for about 100 years tells of an inspiring love and perseverance.
Photo: Robert Sietsema/Eater
An old story tells that Yunnan has a beautiful lake, stretching among the green mountains. In the middle of the lake emerges a small, quiet island, accessible only by a wooden bridge. That island is not a tourist or entertainment destination, but a quiet place for students to study and prepare for important exams. Among those scholars, there was a diligent scholar. Every day, his wife crossed the bridge, carrying a bowl of hot noodles for her husband to have lunch.
However, the young scholar was so busy with his studies that he forgot to eat lunch, letting the bowl of vermicelli cool and making the dish no longer appetizing. Seeing her husband increasingly pale, the wife came up with an idea to arrange each ingredient of the vermicelli bowl separately: delicious broth, fresh fish meat, thinly sliced vegetables, and soft and smooth vermicelli layer. Thanks to this method, her husband can take each portion and dip it into a bowl of broth any time he wants. The bowl of broth has a layer of fat added on top to keep it hot longer.
In the end, this scholar passed all the exams and did not forget the merits and love of his beautiful wife. From this story, this dish was named "crossing the bridge vermicelli" and became a representative of Yunnan cuisine.
Nowadays, noodles across the bridge is not only a delicious and unique dish in Yunnan, but also a symbol of a wife's love and care for her husband.
(According to TopChina)
