Comments on: Chongqing noodles (Xiao Mian, 重庆小面)

By: Wei Guo

Wei Guo — Thu, 14 May 2026 05:56:26 +0000

In reply to Juliet. Thank you so much for sharing this, Juliet! I’m really glad you’ve been enjoying Sichuan recipes, and thank you for your support for the cookbook too.

By: Juliet

Juliet — Mon, 11 May 2026 22:25:29 +0000

This was so good I almost couldn’t believe it came from my kitchen! I’ve tried several of your Sichuan recipes and I’m always blown away by the flavors. Sichuan restaurants are limited in my area but now that I have the pantry staples at home, I’ve had a lot of fun learning new ways to use them.

I had homemade broth and homemade chili oil (your recipe) on hand, and I think they both made a big impact on the dish. Cooking the chickpeas from scratch made a difference too. Starting with dried beans allows you to get chickpeas that are almost buttery in texture, compared to canned which can be a little chalky.

Thank you for sharing your recipes! I’m excited for your cookbook to come out.

By: Wei Guo

Wei Guo — Sun, 25 May 2025 06:52:46 +0000

In reply to Paul:-). Great question! You can store unused Ya Cai in an airtight container in the fridge. Thanks to its high salt content, it keeps very well — it should last for several months once opened. Just make sure to use a clean utensil each time to avoid contamination. Happy cooking!

By: Paul:-)

Paul:-) — Sat, 24 May 2025 21:18:12 +0000

Hello Wei,
I have been longing to make this recipe and although I have all the ingredients I hate waste. The portion that I have is much more than is required in this recipe. How should I store unused Ya Cai? also how long will it last once opened?
Paul:-)

By: Wei Guo

Wei Guo — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 21:40:17 +0000

In reply to Kara Beckman. Great feedback to receive on New Year's Day. I hope your 2024 will be packed with delicious homemade food.

By: Kara Beckman

Kara Beckman — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 16:32:06 +0000

Full of flavor, thanks for not skimping on that. Making this for the first time I followed the recipe exactly and loved it. Very rich and delicious. I need to buy good soup noodle bowls.

By: Wei Guo

Wei Guo — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 18:34:08 +0000

In reply to Edyta. So happy to know you like my recipes Edyta! I had a look at the product. It's not the "sweet bean paste/甜面酱" called for this recipe. Instead, it's red bean paste which is for making sweet treats.

By: Edyta

Edyta — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 18:25:32 +0000

Dear Wei, I can’t describe how I love our blog! You introduced to me Sichuan cuisine and I LOVE it! My kitchen cupboards are full of Chinese sauces, spices and other key ingredients. I even found in Poland green Sichauan pepper and Sichuan pepper oil! I also found sweet bean paste, but I am not sure if it is what you show in this post. I compared Chinese signs but it looks it is different thing.
I have made dan dan noodles so many times! Now it’s finally time for this recipe. I can’t wait so this time I will use Sichuan chili bean paste, but it would be nice to have another important ingredient for the future. Thank You!

By: Wei Guo

Wei Guo — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 22:15:45 +0000

In reply to Sriram Ramkrishna. Thanks for the yellow pea suggestion!

By: Sriram Ramkrishna

Sriram Ramkrishna — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 22:42:02 +0000

Regarding dried yellow peas – most indian markets will have dried green and yellow peas – called ‘vatana’. See if you can find one in your shop.
Thanks for posting this delicvious recipe. I was in Chonqing for a few days and the aroma of Szechuan peppers was everywhere! I couldn’t have too much of it though – the numbing part of it makes water taste alkaline.