ramyaramesh3007These naturally vegan and gluten free jelly noodles made with mung bean starch and tossed in a refreshing cold chili oil dressing.
Liang Fen (凉粉) is a traditional Chinese noodle dish known for its refreshing and jelly-like texture – it can be served as a cold appetizer or a quick snack. It is a popular dish in many regions of China, particularly in Sichuan, Chongqing, and other parts of southwestern China.
Liang Fen is primarily made from starch, which is then processed into jelly-like noodles. The starch used can vary, and it is commonly made from: mung bean starch, sweet potato starch, pea starch or even tapioca starch! The starch is mixed with water, then boiled and set to form a jelly-like texture when cooled.
I love how refreshing Liang Fen is – it’s also low in calories if you pair it with a low-calorie and simple dressing combinations like lime-soy or soy-vinegar! You can also add chili flakes for a spicy kick.
Making the Jelly
Half of the starch is dissolved in water first and boiled with the rest of the water until it thickens into a translucent gel. Once cooked, it’s typically poured into a bowl or a flat dish to cool and solidify. After cooling for about 3-4 hours, the gelatinous mass is cut into thin strips or square blocks.
The texture of liang fen is slippery, chewy, and somewhat gelatinous – the flavour of liang fen itself is quite neutral and versatile, which makes it an excellent base for absorbing the bold, spicy, and tangy flavours of the sauces.
Getting real sauc-ey!
Common dressings and toppings include:
- Garlic sauce: Crushed garlic mixed with soy sauce, vinegar, and sometimes chili oil or sesame oil.
- Chili oil: For a spicy kick, especially in Sichuan-style liang fen, which is known for its bold and spicy flavours – we will be doing a rendition of this for this recipe!
- Vinegar & soy sauce: Adds a sour note that balances out the richness of the chili oil, while adding some salty umaminess
- Sesame paste: Adds a nutty, rich flavour. Instead of this you can also use unsweetened smooth peanut butter.
- Garnish: Chopped peanuts, sesame seeds can be sprinkled on top for crunch and texture. Elevate the flavours even more with fresh herbs like coriander or green onions
Gluten free substitutions: Use gluten free soy sauce like tamari, coconut aminos, or gluten free soy sauce. Use gluten free chili oil.
Allium free substitutions: Garnish with chopped coriander instead of spring onions.
Liang Fen (Mung Bean Jelly Noodles)
Equipment
- 1 Noodle Slicer or Knife
Ingredients
Mung Bean Noodles
- 1/2 cup mung bean starch
- 3.5 cups water
Chili-Oil Dressing
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp black vinegar
- 1 tsp chili oil more if you want it more spicy
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- pinch asafoetida (hing)
Garnish
- spring onions
- crushed peanuts
Instructions
- In a bowl, dissolve the mung bean starch in 1 cup of water, stirring until the starch is completely dissolved with a whisk. There should be no lumps.
- Add the remaining 2.5 cups of water into a saucepan and pour the starch mixture over medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
- Keep stirring for about 5–7 minutes. The mixture will start to thicken after a few minutes and eventually turn into a gel-like consistency.
- Once the mixture has thickened, pour it into a flat dish or a bowl. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours until it firms up completely.
- Once the jelly is firm, either use a noodle slicer to carve out noodles or use a knife to cut it into thin strips.
- Mix all the ingredients needed for the chili oil dressing. Pour over the noodles.
- Garnish with spring onions and crushed peanuts. Enjoy!