Wokipedia: R Is For ...

“Wokipedia” is a regular magazine column in which we introduce aspects of Chinese gastronomy, one letter at a time.

… regan mian 热干面
Hailing from Wuhan, regan mian is one of China’s “five famed noodle dishes.” The noodles are boiled before a thorough draining and drenching in oil. Sesame paste, sesame oil, vinegar and soy sauce are then mixed in, creating a slightly sludgy, slick noodle with a bright, poppy flavor. This dish is less popular in Beijing, where zhajiang mian undoubtedly rules, but is available at Wuhan Reganmian. If you start to crave it as a midnight snack, you can even buy it in instant noodle form.

… rou 揉
An ultra-useful verb in the massage chair, rou also carries over to the kitchen, where its primary meaning is “to knead.” For centuries, China’s chefs have kneaded dough by hand, developing the gluten with every pass and incorporating tiny air bubbles. For perfectly soft mantou, it’s important not to knead too long, as that will create a harder bun with less airiness.

... roujiamo 肉夹馍
The favorite street food of many a Beijinger, this pork-stuffed flatbread originates in Shaanxi. Referred to frequently (and irritatingly) as the “Chinese hamburger,” the humble roujiamo is filled with chopped pork that has stewed in spices such as star anise, aniseed, ginger, chilli and cinnamon. After hours of braising, the meat cooks down into tender, fall-apart chunks dotted with seams of rich fat. Muslim-friendly versions use chicken or beef, seasoned with lashings of cumin.

Click here to see the October issue of the Beijinger in full.

Photo: Flicker user Riceandwheat