Suan La Fen (Hot & Sour Noodles)

酸辣粉

Suan La Fen (Hot & Sour Noodles) — SichuanChongqing home cooking.

Ingredients

• dried sweet potato starch noodles (fen si)
• Chinese black vinegar
• ground Sichuan peppercorn
• chili oil with sediment
• garlic

Instructions

1. Soak noodles in room-temp water 20 minutes until pliable but still slightly stiff. Drain well — do not rinse. (Noodles turn translucent ivory; bend easily without snapping.)
2. Bring 1.2 L water to boil in a large pot. Add drained noodles and cook 2–3 minutes until tender but chewy — taste test at 2 min. (Noodles float freely; surface glistens with starch sheen.)
3. Drain noodles thoroughly. Rinse *once* with hot water (not cold) to remove surface starch — shake dry in colander. (Water runs clear after single rinse; noodles separate cleanly.)
4. In a bowl, combine black vinegar, chili oil, Sichuan peppercorn powder, minced garlic, and 1/2 tsp salt. Whisk until emulsified. (Mixture thickens slightly; red oil suspends evenly, no separation.)
5. Divide noodles between bowls. Pour hot sauce over. Top with crushed roasted peanuts, fresh cilantro, and scallion greens. (Sauce sizzles faintly on noodles; steam rises with layered aroma.)