CHONGQING STREET NOODLES or 重(Chóng)庆(Qìng)小(Xiǎo)面(Miàn)

MAIN INGREDIENTS: alkaline noodles (wheat), fermented mustard leaves, white sesame, sesame oil, chili oil, Sichuan pepper corns, chicken stock.

HISTORY: 重(Chóng)庆(Qìng)小(Xiǎo)面(Miàn) literally means small noodles from Chongqing. But in Chongqing, 小(Xiǎo) does not refer to small or tiny, but instead is used as a term of endearment, a use that indicates locals' love for their cherished noodle dish. Using as many as 15 different condiments and garnishes, it’s the seasoning that provides the soul of this dish. Visitors familiar with the city’s cuisine think of Chongqing’s street noodles before its hot pot, a dish the city is also known for. This dish comes in two varieties, with broth or dry; some people say that this dish evolved from Dandan noodles some one hundred years ago. Chongqing was a part of Sichuan province before it became one of the five municipalities of China.