Chinese noodles may not come in as many different shapes and sizes as Italian pasta, but there is no doubt that China is a nation of noodles with countless regional varieties in terms of flavours and cooking methods.
Last month China saw its first Noodle Cultural Festival draw to a close, but a controversy it sparked has just begun to unfold in cyberspace.
In the highlight of the event, which was hosted in Hangzhou in the coastal province of Zhejiang, the organiser announced the country’s top ten best noodles, with Wuhan hot-and-dry noodles, Beijing soy bean paste noodles and Shanxi knife-shaved noodles claiming the top three spots.
Other honoured dishes that made the list were Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles, Sichuan spicy noodles, Henan braised noodles, Hangzhou Pian Erchuan noodles, Kunshan aozao noodles, Zhenjiang pot-cover noodles and Yanji cold noodles.
The list soon came under fire, sparking debate online over its fairness and rationale as Chinese media reported the story.
Some asked why renowned minced meat noodles and plain noodles were omitted while little known Pian Erchuan noodles and aozao noodles made the list.
Many excited noodle lovers disagreed with the ranking and threw their own opinions into the mix.