Pungent luosifen gains popularity, reaps sweet sales in foreign markets

NANNING－On the last day of August, a shipment of 6,960 bags of prepackaged luosifen, or a river snail rice noodle dish, left for Malaysia. Luosifen is an iconic dish known for its pungent smell that originated in the southern Chinese city of Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

The instant rice noodles, a soup dish dubbed by some people the "durian of soup" because of its pungent fragrance, are produced by Guangxi Luobawang Brand Management Co Ltd, a major luosifen maker.

Liuzhou luosifen features rice vermicelli soaked in a spicy broth that is flavored with river snails and topped with ingredients including pickled bamboo shoots, string beans, peanuts and fried tofu skin.