Which Chinese noodle is made by pulling dough into long strands and is strongly associated with Lanzhou?

Lanzhou beef noodles are the Chinese noodles made by hand-pulling dough into long strands and strongly associated with Lanzhou. The dish is commonly known as Lanzhou beef noodle soup and is a major specialty of Gansu cuisine.

The noodles are prepared by repeatedly stretching and twisting wheat dough. A skilled noodle maker can produce strands of different thicknesses, from very fine to wide and flat. The soup traditionally includes beef, a clear broth, white radish, chili oil, and coriander or green onion. A commonly cited description summarizes the dish with “one clear, two white, three red, four green, and five yellow”: clear broth, white radish, red chili oil, green herbs, and yellow noodles.

The dish is closely connected with China’s Hui Muslim culinary tradition, and halal preparation is central to many traditional restaurants. Beef, rather than pork, is the defining meat.

It should not be confused with every hand-pulled noodle dish. Lanzhou noodles have a specific regional broth, garnish pattern, and preparation tradition.