The Only Flaw in The Knockout Was Spotted by Cantonese

Just after the Spring Festival, the drama "The Knockout" became an undisputed hit as the year's opening show. Its intense and suspenseful plot, coupled with impeccable acting, provided viewers with a thrilling experience during the holiday.

Although the story's setting is fictional, the primary filming location in Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province, made many scenes feel familiar to locals—especially the plate of rice noodle rolls frequently eaten by the protagonists.

But upon closer inspection, something seemed missing. While audiences elsewhere were still drooling over the dish, Cantonese viewers couldn't stay silent: Why was there no soy sauce on their rice noodle rolls? These rolls didn’t look authentic at all!

Finding a decent plate of rice noodle rolls in northern China is incredibly difficult; they might not even make the menu at some Cantonese restaurants.

In Guangdong, however, rice noodle rolls are an extremely common and ubiquitous food. They share the breakfast scene with congee and noodles, compete with snacks like fruits and pastries, and vie for attention alongside meat and eggs on the dining table. It’s safe to say they’ve become deeply ingrained in Cantonese life.

Surprisingly, compared to foods with centuries of history, rice noodle rolls are relatively young. So what makes them so captivating?

At first glance, one might assume pork intestines are involved, but the name actually comes from their resemblance to intestines. A typical rice noodle roll consists of three parts: the rice wrapper, sauce, and filling. While many assume the filling is the star, the rice wrapper is actually the most crucial element.

The rice wrapper is especially vital for rice noodle rolls.

It demands perfection—thin yet unbroken, fragrant, smooth, refreshingly chewy, and leaving a lingering aftertaste.

Different types of rice create distinct flavors. Rice wrappers made from fragrant rice are more aromatic, while aged rice yields a smoother, clearer texture. Many chefs blend new and old rice to combine their strengths for the best taste.

For this reason, some consider plain rice noodle rolls (with no filling) the ultimate test of quality.

The techniques for making the wrapper vary widely. The old-school "woven-basket" method is one of the oldest: rice batter is poured onto a flat bamboo basket, which is then spun like an acrobatic act to spread the batter evenly before adding fillings and steaming.

This method filters out excess water, enhancing the rice flavor and adding a rustic charm.

Cloth-steamed rice noodle rolls are a more popular variety. A smooth, tightly woven cloth allows steam to seep through, turning the batter from white to translucent. The result is a delicate, rich texture.

To boost efficiency, the "drawer-style" method emerged. A smooth metal tray ensures thin, even wrappers. The tray, filled with spread batter, is slid into a steamer like a drawer, producing multiple crystal-white wrappers in no time—instantly becoming the star of the table.

Still, many prefer the traditional cloth-steamed version.

The battle between Cantonese and Teochew-style rice noodle rolls

With so many wrapper varieties, the fillings and sauces refuse to be outdone. Food enthusiasts, adhering to the "anything can be a filling" principle, have spawned countless variations—sparking fierce debates over the "true throne" of rice noodle rolls.

Disputes rage over whether to add eggs, use pork or beef, or whether preserved radish should be fried first. The fiercest rivalry is between Cantonese and Teochew styles: Cantonese critics call Teochew rolls crude, while Teochew fans mock Cantonese rolls for being sparse. This topic could fuel endless arguments between Guangzhou and Chaoshan natives.

Guess which style this is—Cantonese or Teochew?

In terms of appearance, Cantonese rice noodle rolls (changfen) emphasize delicate plating, with distinct layers of wrapper and filling, often garnished with a few greens. The balance between meat and rice flour is crucial—not to skimp but to ensure a harmonious blend of meaty and rice flavors while avoiding excessive greasiness.

Chaoshan-style rice noodle rolls are more rustic and freestyle, less concerned with the arrangement of wrapper and filling, and noticeably larger in portion, giving off a "hotpot hodgepodge" vibe that instantly whets the appetite.

The sauces also differ significantly. Cantonese rice noodle rolls are typically drizzled with soy sauce, but this is no ordinary soy sauce. It’s simmered with water, broth, rock sugar, fish sauce, and other seasonings to achieve a sweet yet not salty, light yet flavorful, rich yet not greasy profile.

This sauce doesn’t mask the original taste of the rice noodle rolls but instead elevates their freshness, infusing them with soul. Chaoshan-style sauces are more diverse, including peanut sauce, sesame sauce, and braised sauce alongside soy sauce. The variety ensures there’s always a flavor to satisfy, which is the essence of Chaoshan-style rice noodle rolls—some even fall in love at first bite with the garlic-infused sauce.

A soy sauce blended with multiple flavors.

To eat, pick up a piece of the "exquisitely dressed" Cantonese rice noodle roll with chopsticks and savor it slowly. The sweetness of the soy sauce, the springy texture of the wrapper, and the fullness of the filling unfold in your mouth—a connoisseur might even detect top, middle, and base notes.

Chaoshan-style rice noodle rolls are best devoured heartily, mixing the rice skin with generous fillings and rich sauce before gulping down the delicious combo. The satisfaction is beyond words, leaving you craving another bowl—until you realize your stomach is already stuffed.

But one thing Cantonese and Chaoshan people agree on is the filling. It’s not that they use the same ingredients, but rather that the filling isn’t the focus. Whether it’s char siu, cured meat, beef, shrimp, or oysters, it’s simply a matter of "what’s available."

"Internal strife" in Chaoshan-style rice noodle rolls.

Chaoshan-style rice noodle rolls face not only the "external threat" of Cantonese-style rolls but also "internal strife," with fierce regional rivalries that are a spectacle in themselves.

The name "Chaoshan" comes from Chaozhou and Shantou, forming a unique cultural identity. There’s a saying: "Let’s eat a bowl of rice noodle rolls," but what kind of rolls is up for debate.

Chaozhou often uses peanut sauce and satay sauce, giving the rolls a rich texture, while Shantou’s rolls feature thin wrappers paired with soy sauce or braised broth for a lighter feel.

Even within Shantou, rice noodle roll factions divide the region. Some areas prefer beef fillings without egg, with vegetables steamed directly into the wrapper, while Chenghai favors beef-and-egg fillings, with the preserved radish inside the wrapper deep-fried first.

Even such minor differences are upheld by meticulous chefs, leading to the saying, "Guangdong rice noodle rolls have tradition but no orthodoxy."

Which hero can distinguish all the rice noodle rolls?

Chenghai also boasts a black-and-white rice noodle roll reminiscent of ink wash painting, with fillings like white minced pork and bean sprouts alongside dark minced cured squid, topped with black braised sauce on snow-white wrappers—a classical masterpiece in a bowl.

Puning rice noodle rolls are another famous variant, known for their generous fillings, abundant broth, and unique garlic-infused braised sauce. They may look like a messy mix, but the wrappers are thin as cicada wings yet chewy, the sauce perfectly balanced, and the fillings bursting with complex flavors—unforgettable after one bite.

Chaoshan Puning rice noodle rolls: a bowl of hearty mix.

Beyond these, Chaoshan offers endless varieties like Raoping’s sweet-and-savory rolls or Chaoyang’s rolls with mandatory watercress or water spinach. Elsewhere, it’s "a step, a new view"; in Chaoshan, it’s "a step, a new rice noodle roll"—so save a separate stomach for them!

This phenomenon isn’t unique to Chaoshan; it’s common across Guangdong. For example, in Yunfu, western Guangdong, Hekou, Tiantang, and Yunan rice noodle rolls all vie for the title of "Yunfu’s best."

Rice noodle rolls are not exclusive to Guangdong. Though they go by different names, their production techniques are largely similar.

Fujian's Hakka-style "Bamboo Tray Rice Rolls" live up to their name. Rice batter made from long-grain rice is poured into a flat bamboo tray and steamed. Then, fillings like stir-fried mung bean sprouts, chives, shredded carrots, pork strips, and mushrooms are wrapped inside the rice sheet. A final drizzle of scallion oil adds the finishing touch. Paired with a bowl of pork rib soup, this dish marks the perfect start to a Hakka day in southern Fujian.

Guangxi's "Rolled Rice Noodles" naturally hold their own. Originating from Vietnam and later改良, they are now ubiquitous across Guangxi. The translucent, chewy rice sheets are typically filled with minced pork and long beans, then elevated by the region's unique yellow-skinned sauce, making them truly unrivaled.

Two pairs of chopsticks—one to roll, one to plate—and a single rice roll is born.

Rice noodle rolls evolve with changing culinary demands. For those craving just the rice sheet, options like "plain rolls" or tightly coiled "pig intestine rolls" (chewier than standard versions) exist, drizzled with sesame or even tomato sauce—resembling the whimsy of love.

Another "stroke of genius" is "Zha Liang," merging two breakfast staples—fried dough sticks and rice noodle rolls—into one, offering both crunch and silkiness.

The quirky name "Zha Liang" comes from splitting one fried dough stick in two, requiring two rice sheets to wrap it ("one fried, two wraps"). A chef's innovation using red rice batter later birthed the viral "Red Rice Rolls."

Each regional variation carries unique flavor memories. A lavish roll packed with delicacies may pale beside the humble one eaten roadside near home.

Cover image丨*The Knockout* still