Lanzhou beef noodles

A bowl of beef noodles is an essential culinary experience when visiting northwestern China, especially in Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province.

This iconic dish features hand-pulled noodles that are chewy and silky, served in a clear yet rich beef broth that is slow-simmered for hours with spices and radishes. The classic presentation adheres to the principle of "one clear, two white, three red, four green, and five yellow", referring to a clear broth, white radish, red chili oil, green cilantro and scallions, and yellow, shiny noodles.