Liangfen
Sichuan-style liangfen
Traditional Chinese涼粉
Simplified Chinese凉粉
Hanyu Pinyinliángfěn
Literal meaningcool powder

Liangfen (simplified Chinese: 凉粉; traditional Chinese: 涼粉; pinyin: liángfěn; lit. 'cool powder'), also spelled liang fen, is a Chinese legume dish consisting of starch jelly that is usually served cold, with a savory sauce, often in the summer.[1] It is most popular in northern China, including Beijing,[2] Gansu,[3] and Shaanxi,[4] but may also be found in Sichuan[5] and Qinghai.[6] In Tibet and Nepal it is called laping and is a common street vendor food.[7] In Kyrgyzstan it is an ingredient in a noodle dish called ashlan fu.[8]

Liangfen is generally white or off-white in color, translucent, and thick. It is usually made from mung bean starch, but may also be made from pea or potato starch.[9][10] In western China, the jelly-like seeds of Plantago major were formerly also used.[1] The starch is boiled with water and the resulting sheets are then cut into thick strips.[11]

Liangfen is generally served cold. The liangfen strips are tossed with seasonings including soy sauce, vinegar, sesame paste, crushed garlic, julienned carrot, and chili oil.[12] In Lanzhou it is often served stir-fried.[3] In Sichuan, a spicy dish called chuanbei liangfen is particularly popular (see photo above).[13]

Similar foods include the Korean muk made with buckwheat, mung bean, or water chestnut starch and Japanese tokoroten.

Jidou liangfen, a similar dish from the Yunnan province of southwest China, is made from chickpeas rather than mung beans. It is similar to Burmese tofu salad.

In Northeast China, it is called lapi (拉皮) and is served mixed with julienned vegetables.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Wilson, Ernest Henry; Sargent,Charles Sprague. (1914) A naturalist in western China, with vasculum, camera, and gun Methuen & co., ltd. p. 63
  2. ↑ (2007-12-05) (in Chinese) 凉粉（漏鱼、刮条） Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine 老北京网 / 北京公众出行网
  3. 1 2 Lanzhou Restaurants China Connection Tours
  4. ↑ Xian Dining Archived 2010-10-26 at archive.today Beijing feeling
  5. ↑ Jack Quian, 2006 Chengdu: A City of Paradise AuthorHouse, p. 49 ISBN 1-4259-7590-9
  6. ↑ (2008-03-07) Xining CRIENGLISH.com
  7. ↑ "Tibetan Street Food — Laping Recipe and Video".
  8. ↑ brollytea (2016-02-19). "ashlan fu (recipe) by brollytea". Everything2.com. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
  9. ↑ Law, Eugene (2004) Intercontinental's best of China China Intercontinental Press (五洲传播出版社), p. 197 ISBN 7-5085-0429-1
  10. ↑ Mooney, Eileen Wen. 2008 Beijing Marshall Cavendish, p. 124 ISBN 981-232-997-8
  11. ↑ 宋秉武 (Song Bingwu) (in English), 2004 大禹治水的源头—临夏 China Intercontinental Press (五洲传播出版社), p. 30 ISBN 7-5085-0661-8
  12. ↑ (2008-08-06) Have a Taste of Beijing’s Summer Food Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine Chinaculture.org
  13. ↑ Gan Tian, (2008-03-17) Official word on local cuisine Chinadaily.com.cn
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