Why can a single bowl of Xiaomian represent Chongqing?
▲ Eating a bowl of Xiaomian on a bench is a daily routine in Chongqing life. Photo by Xuewen Wu
Authentic products from the "8D mountains and rivers"
"Assisting" a bowl of spicy and flavorful Chongqing Xiaomian
The mountainous city of Chongqing is known as the "8D Magic City" for its multidimensional and colorful landscape.
▲ Night view of Hongyadong in Chongqing. Photo by Bingbing Cao
A simple bowl of Xiaomian is an indispensable delicacy in the daily life of Chongqing people. Before dawn, noodle shop owners are already washing vegetables, preparing seasonings, and boiling water. Soon after, the shop will be packed with customers, and even plastic stools at the entrance may serve as dining tables.
"Ganliu" (dry noodles), "Tihuang" (firm noodles), "Jiaqing" (extra vegetables), "Zhongla" (extra spicy)—within just a few minutes, a steaming bowl of Xiaomian is served. Though seemingly simple, Chongqing Xiaomian hides a vast world of spicy and aromatic flavors.
For Chongqing people, the day must start with a bowl of Xiaomian.
From the "Huguang fills Sichuan" migration to the "Third Front Construction" and the Three Gorges Reservoir relocation, blended cultures have endowed this city with great openness and inclusivity, especially in its attitude toward flavors. From the fragrant nine-grid hotpot to the bold Jianghu cuisine, the people of Chongqing embrace all tastes—spicy, numbing, sour, sweet, and fresh. Among these myriad flavors, Xiaomian stands as the representative of Chongqing.
▲ Every early morning is the busiest time for Xiaomian shops. Photo by Xuewen Wu
The "noodles" in Xiaomian are actually quite young
Compared to provinces like Shaanxi and Shanxi with long histories of noodle consumption, Chongqing's noodle-eating history is indeed "still a younger sibling." By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Chongqing saw the emergence of machine flour mills and rice mills. Thanks to years of promotion by Bo-liang Xian, Xiaomian gradually became a staple on Chongqing tables due to its convenience, delicious taste, and affordability, standing alongside Chongqing hotpot as a local delicacy.
▲ The Xiaomian in noodle shops presents a unique scene. Image from Huitu Wang
Chongqing Xiaomian uses machine-made alkaline noodles. The alkali prevents the noodles from souring too quickly while creating a unique flavor, killing two birds with one stone. The noodles come in various specifications, such as thin noodles, leek-leaf noodles, and wide noodles. Each shop chooses based on its products—some offer only one type, while others have all widths. With the alkaline noodles ready, the highlight of Chongqing Xiaomian—the seasonings—is what truly makes it exceptional.
▲ The noodles at the Xiaomian stall have already been portioned by the owner for easy cooking. Photo by Xuewen Wu
The deliciousness of Xiaomian does not lie in the "noodles"
The deliciousness of Xiaomian comes from its rich and diverse seasonings, thanks to Chongqing's complex topography and abundant produce. The western hilly area, the central parallel ridge-valley region, the northeastern Dabashan area, and the southeastern Wushan-Qiyao Mountains together form this multidimensional city. The complex terrain not only shapes Chongqing's natural landscape but also hides the secret to Xiaomian's delicious flavors.
▲ With an area of 82,400 square kilometers, Chongqing's topography is incredibly complex. Chart by Pan Wu
A bowl of Chongqing Xiaomian contains at least a dozen seasonings: chili oil, dried chili, Sichuan pepper powder, pickled mustard tuber, preserved vegetables, lard, sesame paste, crushed peanuts, ginger-garlic water, scallions, salt, soy sauce, MSG... These are essentials for every shop, along with some "secret" ingredients unknown to outsiders.
When ordering noodles, one can see the owners skillfully and swiftly mix the seasonings with small spoons. They seem to know exactly how much of each ingredient to use, with precise technique.
▲ Various types of noodle condiments. Photo/Wu Xuewen
Chili oil is usually homemade, with preferences for spiciness, aroma, and thickness varying among households. Chongqing locals use rapeseed oil to prepare chili oil, selecting one or multiple types of chilies such as朝天椒 (chaotian chili),二荆条 (erjingtiao chili), and小米辣 (xiaomila chili). The degree of drying, the ratio of different chilies, and the oil temperature—all these factors contribute to the unique flavor of each family's chili oil.
▲ Red chili oil in a bowl of noodles. Photo/Wu Xuewen
In spicy and numbing noodles (Mala Xiaomian), besides spiciness, the numbing sensation is a memorable flavor, achieved with Sichuan peppercorn powder or oil. Locally sourced Chongqing peppercorns, such as the high-quality "Jiuye Qing" from Jiangjin District, are the top choice for noodle shops.
▲ Jiangjin peppercorns. Photo/Wu Xuewen
With the surging sales of Chongqing noodles locally and nationwide, and the rising popularity of instant noodles online, the demand for Sichuan peppercorns has greatly increased. Peppercorn farmers need to expand production, and the "Huabei Consumption Boosting Agriculture Plan" can provide better support.
When farmers plan to expand peppercorn production and need to upgrade farming tools, they can choose interest-free installments over 6 periods. Huabei offers an average interest-free credit limit of 2,000 RMB per farmer in Chongqing.
▲ "Huabei" in a seed store; the "Huabei Consumption Boosting Agriculture Plan" can better assist farmers. Photo/Wu Xuewen
In Chongqing, every shop owner claims their noodles are authentic, yet no one can definitively describe what authentic tastes like. "Xiaomian just has that taste, you know?" In reality, the preparation method of condiments, their quantities, and the amount of broth all influence the flavor of a bowl of noodles. For Chongqing locals, the noodles they grew up eating might just be the most authentic version.
▲ Taking every bowl of noodles seriously. Photo/Wu Xuewen
The soulmates of Xiaomian are the side dishes.
For people from Shaanxi, eating noodles without garlic means missing half the flavor. For Chongqing locals, garlic might be optional, but green side dishes are a must—even if it's just a few leaves. The essential green companions for Chongqing noodles are water spinach (藤藤菜, tengtengcai) in summer and pea shoots (豌豆颠儿, wandoudianr) in winter.
Water spinach, known as空心菜 (kongxincai) in Chongqing, is rich in fiber and loved for its crisp and chewy texture. Thanks to its hollow stems, it absorbs the broth of the noodles. When the noodles, vegetables, and broth are eaten together in one bite, the softness of the noodles, the tender-crispness of the water spinach, and the numbing freshness of the broth encapsulate the essence of Chongqing's mala noodles.
▲ Water spinach is the golden side dish for noodles in summer. Photo/NTWZH000, Image/Huitu Wang
For pea shoots, tenderness is crucial. If they are fibrous or hard to chew, it can ruin the entire noodle experience. Pea shoots bought from the market must be carefully selected—discarding tough stems, wilted leaves, and overly long tendrils.
▲ Adding a handful of pea shoots is the highest honor for a bowl of noodles. Photo/Xiong Ke
If water spinach or pea shoots are unavailable, Chongqing people still insist on green side dishes. Options include lettuce leaves, Chinese lettuce, spinach, cabbage, bok choy, and more—all serving as alternative green companions for Chongqing noodles.
Topping it off makes it Xiaomian PLUS.
Xiaomian refers to plain noodles, but with various toppings, it becomes an upgraded version with richer flavors. The diverse toppings expand the schools of Chongqing's noodle cuisine. Based on flavor, toppings can be categorized into杂酱 (zhajiang, fried sauce),红烧 (hongshao, braised),肥肠 (feichang, pork intestine),泡椒 (paojiao, pickled chili),酸菜 (suancai, pickled vegetable), and more. Those with bigger appetites can opt for double portions or mix multiple toppings.
▲ A "deluxe version" of beef noodles. Photo/Wu Xuewen
Among the sauce-based noodles, the first recommendation is the pea and minced pork noodles. It is essentially the minced pork sauce noodles topped with soft, mushy peas. This bowl can be considered a top contender among the noodle dishes with toppings. The pea and minced pork noodles can be served dry or with soup. To fully experience the essence of peas and minced pork sauce, you must choose the dry version. The minced pork sauce is made by stir-frying pork with a balance of fat and lean meat. The soaked peas are boiled in bone broth until soft and mushy. A spoonful of minced pork sauce and a spoonful of peas are spread over the noodles. While eating, keep stirring—don’t stop mixing, just like you don’t stop eating.
▲ Pea and minced pork noodles. Photo by Ma Duo, Image from Tuchong Creativity.
Among the pickled pepper-based noodles, the first recommendation is the pickled pepper chicken gizzard noodles. The best chicken gizzards must be from Qianjiang, Chongqing. Peppers, ginger, garlic, and radish are patiently fermented to create the pickled pepper flavor. A spoonful of pickled pepper chicken gizzards added to the noodle soup makes the pickled pepper chicken gizzard noodles. DOUBLE toppings are the ultimate respect for this bowl of noodles.
Chongqing pickled peppers generally come in two types: one made from Erjingtiao peppers and the other from wild mountain peppers. Many noodle shops use local peppers, such as the high-quality and famous peppers from Shizhu, Chongqing. As Chongqing noodles gain popularity nationwide, not only is the local demand in Chongqing strong, but the demand outside Chongqing is also increasing year by year, significantly boosting the need for raw materials, especially peppers.
▲ Shizhu peppers. Photo by Wu Xuewen.
Pepper farmers are updating their farming tools while also wanting to contract more land to increase production. Local pepper farmers in Chongqing face challenges such as labor shortages, slow capital turnover, and insufficient cash flow.
Huabei has launched the Consumption Revitalization Agriculture Plan, providing farmers in Chongqing with an interest-free installment quota of 2,000 RMB per person. When purchasing seeds, fertilizers, farming tools, and other supplies, farmers can choose 6 interest-free installments. From spring planting to autumn harvest, this helps alleviate some of the financial pressure on farmers and increases pepper production.
▲ Hardworking pepper farmers. Photo by Wu Xuewen.
The world of Chongqing noodles is filled with masters. It’s hard to say which one is the most authentic, as others might not agree. Noodle shops are perhaps the most common type of restaurant in Chongqing. Besides well-known establishments, they can be found under staircases, by the roadside, and next to overpasses. It is estimated that there are about 84,000 Chongqing noodle shops, consuming about 12.6 million bowls of noodles daily, with an annual industry value reaching 38 billion RMB.
▲ Noodles fill the streets and alleys of Chongqing. Photo by Wu Xuewen.
Chongqing noodles have also participated in various selections such as the "Top 50 Noodle Shops." Selected shops hang large award plaques in prominent positions, and some shops have so many awards they cover an entire wall.
With the booming tourism economy in Chongqing, even some once "aloof" shops have had to pay more attention to the tastes and perspectives of out-of-town tourists. The stubborn "spiciness" can now be optional or even omitted from the noodles. Those who dislike this change might feel that noodles without spiciness have lost their soul, but more people understand that embracing change is also part of Chongqing’s character. The times are moving forward, and so are Chongqing noodles.
▲ The cityscape near the Huguang Guild Hall, where the ancient and modern blend. The times are moving forward, and so is Chongqing. Photo by Cao Bingbing.
In January 2016, the local standard "Chongqing Noodles Cooking Technical Guidelines" was approved and implemented. This provides an official standard for the various flavors of noodles, and the standardized industrial development of Chongqing noodles is something to look forward to. Now, you don’t necessarily have to go to Chongqing to enjoy a bowl of noodles. Platforms like Huabei and Tmall offer many well-reviewed Chongqing specialty noodles.
▲ The joy of a pepper harvest. Photo by Wu Xuewen.
The "Huabei Consumption Revitalization Agriculture Plan" leverages internet technology and platform advantages to assist the government in solving problems such as insufficient cash flow and slow capital turnover encountered by farmers during industrial upgrading. On the other hand, Huabei opens its platform traffic to set up special sessions for consumption revitalization agriculture, inviting and encouraging Huabei users to participate in the plan. By purchasing agricultural products, users can experience authentic local flavors while contributing to rural revitalization.
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