A Taste of Asia: $30 mln worth of Qishan noodles sold annually in China

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Pasta may be thought of as Italian, but it has its roots in Asia. Many pasta dishes in China stand out because of their special taste. One is a local favorite in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, called Qishan noodles. Locals say more than 300 restaurants across the country sell them. In this edition of A Taste of Asia, CGTN's Hu Chao finds out why the noodles are so popular.

Eat as much as you can.

This is one of several noodle-eating competitions held at restaurants in Qishan County in northwestern China's Shaanxi Province.

The winner gets free noodles for life at the restaurant.

The record belongs to a man who scarfed down 43 bowls in one minute.

Wang Haibing has been making authentic Qishan noodles for more than two decades. He says they take hours.

People say the soup is the soul of Qishan noodles.

The first step is to cook pork, which is the soup's key ingredient.

And the local chili powder is also a must.

It not only makes the meat look good but also creates a special taste.

Locals actually call them Saozi noodles, since the Chinese character Sao means minced meat.

But dictionaries say Sao is an adjective, meaning "stinky smell", which isn't true for these noodles.

So why call them Sao?

HU CHAO QISHAN COUNTY, SHAANXI PROVINCE "I asked many local people about the reason. But nobody's sure. Well, here's my theory. This is the Chinese character for Sao. The left part of it is often used to indicate a relation to meat. And the three little squares on the upper right are just like minced meat, aren't they? This might be why people call it Saozi noodle. What do you think?"

The Qishan, or Saozi noodle also features five kinds of vegetables. Locals say their different colors mean good wishes for life.

After a couple of hours, the noodles are finally made.

HU CHAO QISHAN COUNTY, SHAANXI PROVINCE "Actually it's not as spicy as it looks. I'm not the kind of person who can eat very spicy food. So don't be scared by its color."

Having a taste of the Qishan noodles is a must for many visitors to Qishan County.

Local experts say Qishan noodles have a history dating back 3,000 years.

Nowadays the ancient cuisine has developed into an industry.

Many side dishes are also for sale.

Local officials say the industry chain now boasts a turnover of 500 million yuan a year. Hu Chao, CGTN, Qishan County, Shaanxi Province.