Luosifen (Snail Rice Noodle Soup)

Name: Luosifen (Snail Rice Noodle Soup)
Prep time: 1 h 15 min
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 4 h
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 250 g dried rice noodles; 300 g river snails; 1 pork bones; 200 g pickled bamboo shoots; 100 g pickled mustard greens; 100 g dried radish; 100 g fried tofu skin; 50 g peanuts; lettuce, to taste; chopped scallions, a pinch; 50 ml cooking oil; salt, to taste; 30 g chili powder; 50 ml chili oil; 20 ml chicken fat; 20 g chili bean paste; 2 fermented tofu; 3-4 dried chilies; 2 star anise; 1 small handful Sichuan peppercorns; 1 sand ginger; 2 ginger; 1 cinnamon bark; 2 bay leaves; 10 ml cooking wine

More than twenty years ago, I interned in Liuzhou and tried Liuzhou luosifen (snail rice noodles) for the first time. The fiery broth and rice noodles coated in red chili oil—soft yet springy and refreshing—paired with toppings steeped in that rich, oily broth made for an intensely flavorful bowl. The pickled mustard greens and sour bamboo shoots released their tang into the broth, so that the savoriness, saltiness, heat, and subtle sourness balanced one another into something wonderfully appetizing. One bowl wasn't enough to satisfy the craving, so my companion and I shared a second—luosifen this good is worth eating to the point of being stuffed.

For luosifen to taste great, the broth is everything. Bones and river snails are absolutely essential. Some shops also add chicken frames, beef bones, and the like. Seasonings vary from kitchen to kitchen, and I've worked out a few tricks of my own: as long as the snails are stir-fried with rich, aromatic seasonings, the resulting broth will shine.

4 hours

Hard

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Ingredients

dried rice noodles 250 g

river snails 300 g

pork bones 1

pickled bamboo shoots 200 g

pickled mustard greens 100 g

dried radish 100 g

fried tofu skin 100 g

peanuts 50 g

lettuce to taste

chopped scallions a pinch

cooking oil 50 ml

salt to taste

chili powder 30 g

chili oil 50 ml

chicken fat 20 ml

chili bean paste 20 g

fermented tofu 2

dried chilies 3-4

star anise 2

Sichuan peppercorns 1 small handful

sand ginger 1

ginger 2

cinnamon bark 1

bay leaves 2

cooking wine 10 ml

Instructions

Step 1

Place pork bones in water and begin simmering to make broth.

Step 2

Prepare the spices: star anise, cinnamon bark, Sichuan peppercorns, ginger, sand ginger, bay leaves, and dried chilies.

Step 3

Once the bone broth comes to a boil, skim off the foam. Place the spices in a spice bag and add it to the broth. Simmer together for 1 hour.

Step 4

Soak the dried rice noodles in warm water for 1 hour.

Step 5

Heat a wok and add the river snails, stir-frying until all moisture has evaporated.

Step 6

Add the chicken fat, ginger, chili powder, fermented tofu, salt, cooking oil, and bean paste. Stir-fry until well combined.

Step 7

Add the chili oil, cooking wine, and chicken bouillon, and stir to combine.

Step 8

Pour the stir-fried snails into the simmered bone broth and continue to simmer together for 1 hour to develop the Luosifen broth base.

Step 9

Deep-fry the peanuts until crispy and set aside.

Step 10

Deep-fry the tofu skin until crispy and set aside.

Step 11

Stir-fry the pickled mustard greens until fragrant.

Step 12

Heat the wok, stir-fry the pickled bamboo shoots until dry, then add cooking oil, salt, and chicken bouillon. Stir-fry until cooked through and set aside.

Step 13

Stir-fry the dried radish until fragrant and set aside.

Step 14

In a separate pot, bring water to a boil. Blanch the soaked rice noodles and lettuce until cooked, then transfer to a large serving bowl.

Step 15

Pour the simmered snail broth over the noodles and top with the peanuts, pickled bamboo shoots, pickled mustard greens, dried radish, fried tofu skin, and chopped scallions. Serve immediately.