Shaanxi Recipe

Liangpi Cold Skin Noodles

Shaanxi · Serves 2 · 25 minutes with prepared noodles

Liangpi is a Shaanxi cold noodle dish built around chewy noodles, vinegar, chile oil, cucumber, garlic, and gluten-like texture.

Why this dish works

Traditional liangpi can involve washing wheat starch and steaming sheets. This home version uses prepared liangpi, wide rice noodles, or wheat starch noodles to focus on the menu logic: cold texture, vinegar, chile oil, and chew.

Recipe at a glance

Item Detail
Serves 2
Time 25 minutes
Core technique Cold noodle dressing
Heat level Medium
Best with Roujiamo or cumin lamb

Ingredients

  • 10 oz prepared liangpi, wide rice noodles, or wheat starch noodles
  • 1 small cucumber, julienned
  • 1/2 cup wheat gluten, fried tofu, or firm tofu strips
  • 2 tablespoons chile oil
  • 1.5 tablespoons black vinegar or aged vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 small garlic clove, grated
  • 1 tablespoon sesame paste, optional
  • 1 tablespoon water to loosen sesame paste, if using
  • Salt to taste
  • Optional: cilantro

Method

  1. Prepare noodles according to package directions, then rinse cold and drain well.
  2. Mix chile oil, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame paste if using, and salt.
  3. Place noodles in a bowl with cucumber and gluten or tofu strips.
  4. Add dressing and toss until evenly coated.
  5. Taste for vinegar, salt, and chile.
  6. Top with cilantro if desired and serve cold.

Menu-literacy notes

  • 凉皮 / liangpi: the dish is about cold chew and sour-spicy dressing.
  • Vinegar matters: sourness is not optional.
  • Gluten texture: wheat gluten or tofu gives contrast.
  • Shaanxi clue: liangpi pairs naturally with roujiamo and cumin lamb.

Variations and substitutions

  • Use wide rice noodles if liangpi is unavailable.
  • Use peanut butter thinned with water if sesame paste is unavailable.
  • Add bean sprouts for crunch.
  • Use less chile oil and more vinegar for a sharper mild version.

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