No Sweat: Four Noodle Dishes For Keeping Cool

If you've read our blog recently, you may be on the fence about grabbing an iced drink this summer. But if you're craving noodles, you're in luck.

In what isn't one of those traditional Chinese hot-water-cools-you-down tricks, we give you four noodle recipes that will keep you sane in the heat. In fact, there's not a hot bowl of tang in sight.

Chao Xian Leng Mian 朝鲜冷面, Korean cold noodles
Coldness: ★★★★★
Spiciness: ★

Chao Xian Leng Mian, also called Yan Ji Leng Mian 延吉冷面, were originally popular with the Chao Xian minority and caught on in Beijing in the 1950’s. Its the sweetest of the cold noodles in Beijing, thanks to strips of pear in its soup. To make it, buckwheat noodles are kept in ice water and then added to a cold beef broth with carrots, kimchi, a half boiled egg, pear, cucumber and beef, sesame seeds and Korean hot sauce.

Where to get it: Hua Tian Yan Ji Leng Mian 181 Xisi Bei Dajie, Xicheng District. 6615 3293. 华天延吉冷面, 西城区西四北大街181号

Leng Wu Dong Mian 冷乌冬面, Japanese Cold Udon Noodles
Coldness:★★★★
Spiciness:★

This chewy noodle is offered alongside a bowl of cold soy sauce "soup," and usually accompanied with an toppings like dried shrimp, sesame seeds, green onions and wasabi.

Where to get it: Fish Mama (鱼匠) in Sanlitun is actually known for their roast fish, but their cold udon noodles are killer. Shimao Department Store, 13 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District. 8400 4685. 朝阳区工体北路13号世贸百货

No.3 Si Chuan Liang Mian 四川凉面, Sichuanese Cold Noodles
Coldness:★★★
Spiciness:★★★★★

If you're talking temperature, these noodles are cold. However, being from Sichuan, this recipe is almost as spicy as they come. The noodles are doused with hot red oil, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, a pinch of sugar, green onion, peanuts and strips of cucumber and chicken. It's a hot summer party in your mouth.

Where to get it: Try this at your neighborhood Ma La Tang麻辣烫 stand or, for more of a sit down joint, head to Jin Ding Xuan 金鼎轩. D122, B/1, Huamao Shopping Center, 87 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区建国路87号华贸购物中心地下1层D122号

No.4 Shaanxi Liang Pi 陕西凉皮，Shaanxi Cold Noodles
Coldness:★★★
Spiciness:★★★★

The simplest dish of the bunch, Shaanxi Liang Pi is all about the shaved noodle. No meat here, just a few slices of cucumber and some spicy sauce, and it's good to go. Pair it with a rou jia mo 肉夹馍 (meat sandwich), and a Bei Bing Yang soda, and you've got yourself a cheap, cool lunch.

Where to get it: 黄河水陕西小吃. Chaoyang District, East Gate of Workers' Stadium, No. 6. 5842 6260 阳区工人体育场东门内6号看台北侧

Photo: Su-lin on Flickr