Guogou Rice Noodles Introduction
In the early morning, when the sky is still a bit dim, the Chengyuan area is already crowded with customers. Once the crowd thins out, the food is pushed to the temple entrance and is usually sold out within an hour, often before 8 AM. This is the legend of "Guogou Mi Tai Mu." The founder, Zhuang Jinhua (born in 1938), faced the tragic loss of her son, and with her daughter-in-law Yu Liangying (Ayu) needing to work, Zhuang Jinhua took care of her three young grandchildren while also making and selling rice cakes to support her family. Later, her sister taught her the secrets of making Mi Tai Mu, leading her to switch to selling this dish. Zhuang Jinhua initially sold her products by carrying a lead bucket along the streets, then switched to a cart, and finally settled at the temple entrance for sales. In 2010, as Zhuang Jinhua aged, her daughter-in-law Yu Liangying (Ayu) took over the business, continuing the "Guogou Mi Tai Mu" legend at the temple entrance. The preparation of Mi Tai Mu is quite labor-intensive. The night before, the rice (pure glutinous rice) is soaked for five hours. She rises around 2 AM to grind the rice into a batter using a rice grinder, reserving a small portion for thickening later, while the rest is poured into a large pot where it is stirred by hand until dried. Flour and sweet potato starch are mixed evenly in a mixer to form the dough, which is set aside. Aromatic shallots are sautéed, followed by shrimp, crispy shallots, and five-spice powder, which are also sautéed before being set aside. Water is added to the pot for cooking...
