There's an old Chinese proverb: just as opera is only as good as the voice who sings it, noodles are only as good as the soup. Jihuosi, a famous noodle dish originating from Huili County in southwest China's Sichuan Province, is a perfect example of this saying. 

The soup is made by simmering chicken bones, pig bones, and ham for several hours, resulting in an intensely flavorful broth. Shredded ham and chicken are added to the soup, but the stand-out ingredient in this dish is surely er kuai. Er Kuai is made of rice flour that is cooked and molded into small-sized noodles; the chewy texture instantly adds another layer of interest to this already dynamic soup dish. 

Beginning your morning with a warm bowl of jihuosi is surely a way to start your day on the right foot.

Explore Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province with Min-Zhui Lee, host of Travelogue on CGTN. The show airs this Sunday (October 14) at 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., next Monday at 2:00 a.m. and next Thursday at 1:30 p.m. (BJT).