Kunming 过桥米线 guoqiaomixian

Post by Chiefeater Jimmy Lee

It's my first time traveling around Yunnan, specifically the capital of Kunming, and my first substantial meal consists of piping hot noodle soup served in a massive bowl made of stone. The local style of 过桥米线 or guòqiáomǐxiàn (it translates to crossing-the-bridge noodles which has something to do with ancient folklore) has separate raw ingredients like thin slices of chicken, quail's eggs and various vegetables being tossed into a big bowl of boiling hot soup. Silky rice noodles are then added after the raw bits are cooked.

A warm bowl of savory soup hits the spot on a cold and humid Kunming night. I found the broth to be a bit light on spices so I added plenty of dark vinegar, Sichuan pepper powder and chilli oil, turning it into a Sichuan-style version of the same dish. The beauty of dishes like these is that you can customize them to your own exact taste.

This big bowl wasn't cheap though. At 48 yuan or RM30 per person, it's more of a local delicacy than a staple noodle dish. The restaurant I went to was located in a small village near the Kunming airport, a good place to stay at if you have an early flight out the next day.

What is mǐ xiàn?

米线 or mi xian is a traditional snack in southwestern regions of China, especially in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan provinces. It's a round and thick rice noodle that's reminiscent of the noodles in Penang and Malay laksa varieties. It can be cooked and eaten in different ways, such as with bone broth, meat sauce, sour cabbage and pickles.

Some famous varieties of include 过桥米线 (crossing-the-bridge noodles), 小锅米线 (small-pot noodles), 酸菜米线 (sour-cabbage noodles), and 老坛酸菜米线 (old-pot sour-cabbage noodles).

Editor's Note

Foreign map apps don't work well in China. For offline maps on Android that won't require a data connection, OsmAnd is a good choice. You can also download Baidu Maps from Apple and Google app stores but this app requires a data connection.