Mongolian Potato Noodles

土豆泥拌莜面

English: Mongolian Potato Noodles

Chinese: 土豆泥拌莜面

Pinyin: tudou ni ban you mian

Literal: Mashed potatoes mixed with oat noodles

This dish is far from the heavy, carb-laden meal it appears to be. The noodles, made from protein-rich oat flour, are a complex carbohydrate that delivers energy without the bloated feeling typical of refined grains. Tossed with creamy mashed potatoes and a light soy sauce dressing, the dish achieves a perfectly moist and almost velvety texture.

Traditionally, the noodles are made using a special press that gives them a ribbed surface designed to catch the mashed potato coating. This unique texture is key to the dish's appeal. However, finding oat flour noodles (莜面, yóu miàn) outside their home regions—Shanxi and Inner Mongolia—can be a challenge. Even in Beijing, these dried noodles are elusive, underscoring their status as a local specialty that resists traveling far from its origins. If oat flour noodles are unavailable, buckwheat noodles can serve as a substitute, though they lack the distinct texture and satisfying bite of the original.

Oat flour is deeply tied to the arid regions of Northern China, thriving in harsh environments like the edges of the deserts in Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Ningxia, and Gansu. In these areas, where agricultural options are limited, oat flour has been a vital source of sustenance for centuries. Shaanxi cuisine, in particular, celebrates oat flour in an array of dishes, such as mao er duo (Cat’s Ear Pasta) and youmian kaolaolao (Naked Oat Pasta). These dishes, made from simple yet nutrient-rich ingredients, exemplify the resourcefulness of communities living in harsh climates.

Potato Noodles are typically enjoyed as a liangcai (cold dish), served at room temperature, served alongside hearty pork stews, lamb dumplings and roasted meats. This dish is exactly what Northern Chinese cuisine does so well: taking a few humble ingredients and elevating them into something that tastes much more complex than it is.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 potato (about 350g)

50g oat flour noodles (dried weight)

2 medium cucumber - julienned

½ carrot - julienned

3 cloves garlic - finely chopped

½ bunch coriander - finely chopped

1 small tomato - diced

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoon light soy sauce

2 tablespoon Chinese dark vinegar

1 tablespoon chilli oil with sediment

Method

  1. Peel the potato, then cut into small pieces (half the size of a roast potato) and steam or boil for 12-15 minutes, or until soft, then mash them until no lumps remain. Set aside for later.

  2. Steam the noodles for about 7 minutes (or boil for about 5 minutes). If steaming, don’t layer the noodles too thick on top of each other in the steamer otherwise they will stick into clumps. Once cooked, set aside. Once cool enough to handle, use your hands to separate the noodles from each other, and leave to cool, or refrigerate until needed. You can use a drizzle of sesame oil to ensure they don’t stick if you want.

  3. In a small bowl, pour the sesame oil, sauce soy, vinegar, and chilli oil, stir and set aside.

  4. Julienne the cucumber and carrot, finely chop or mince the garlic and finely chop the coriander and add to a mixing bowl.

  5. Add the noodles to the mixing bowl with the mashed potato, diced tomato and the sauce. Give it a vigorous mix with a pair of chopsticks and get all the potato and sauce evenly throughout the mix. It can take a bit of effort to break up the mashed potato, but the potato should be like a sauce on the noodles. You can add a bit more sesame oil, soy sauce or vinegar to taste and if it’s looking a bit dry.

  6. Serve at room temperate.

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