🍽️ Burning Noodles

Dry chili-oil noodles, fiery and aromatic.

Burning Noodles are the signature dry-tossed noodle of Yibin, southern Sichuan. The name comes from the oil-rich, water-free noodle, said to be dry enough to catch fire. Thin noodles are boiled, drained thoroughly, then tossed with chili oil, Sichuan pepper powder, crushed peanuts, preserved sprout vegetables and fried minced pork, finished with a ladle of hot oil. The result is dry, fragrant, numbing and spicy; the preserved vegetables add salty crunch, the peanuts nuttiness, and every strand is coated in seasoning once tossed. Yibin locals often start the day with a bowl, chased with a bowl of plain soup to cut the richness. Unlike soup noodles, burning noodles must be tossed and eaten while hot, or they clump as they cool. It is the most recognizable noodle of Yibin and a first taste for visitors entering the world of Sichuan noodle cooking.