Cold Glass Noodle Salad (凉拌粉丝)

Instructions

1. 1Bring a pot of water to a boil, then turn off the heat. Add the dried vermicelli and let it soak off the heat for 5-7 minutes, until the strands are pliable but still have a firm center. Soaking off the boil prevents the outside from turning to paste while the core stays hard.

   🔍 Look for 离火泡 5-7 分钟 · 5-7 minutes off the heat

   Visual: 白色硬挺的粉丝转为半透明、松散，在筷子上柔软地下垂Stiff white strands turn translucent and slack, slipping loosely around the chopsticks

   You know it's right when: 抽一根能拉长而不断；中心可能仍有一丝白芯One strand stretches rather than snaps when pulled; a faint white core may still show at the center

2. 2Drain and immediately rinse under cold running water for 30 seconds, rubbing the strands gently with your fingers. This washes off surface starch so the noodles do not clump into a ball. Drain very well in a colander.

   🔍 Look for 冷水冲 30 秒 · 30 seconds under cold water

   Visual: 冲洗下来的水由浑浊变清澈，粉丝根根分明不再粘连Water running off the noodles runs clear instead of cloudy; strands separate instead of sticking

   You know it's right when: 晃滤网时粉丝松散滑动，手指无淀粉滑腻感Shake the colander and the strands move freely, no starchy film on your fingers

3. 3Transfer the noodles to a large bowl. If the strands are very long, cut them once or twice with kitchen scissors — long noodles tangle and refuse to hold dressing evenly. Julienne the cucumber and carrot and pile them on top.

   🔍 Look for

   Visual: 粉丝长约 15-20 厘米，与浅绿黄瓜丝、亮橙胡萝卜丝混杂Noodle strands are roughly 15-20 cm long, mixed with pale green cucumber and bright orange carrot ribbons

   You know it's right when: 用筷子夹起一份时不会带起整碗You can lift a portion with chopsticks without dragging the whole bowl along

4. 4In a small bowl, whisk together light soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, minced garlic, sugar, and chili oil until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the noodles and vegetables.

   🔍 Look for

   Visual: 酱汁呈油亮的深琥珀色，稀薄到能拉成细流，表面浮着红油The dressing is a glossy dark amber, thin enough to pour in a ribbon, with red chili oil floating on top

   You know it's right when: 倾斜小碗时碗底无糖粒残留No sugar crystals remain on the bottom of the bowl when you tilt it

5. 5Toss everything with chopsticks, lifting from the bottom so the dressing reaches all the strands. Let it sit 5 minutes so the noodles drink up the sauce, then toss again and finish with toasted sesame seeds. Serve cool.

   🔍 Look for 静置 5 分钟 · 5 minutes resting

   Visual: 粉丝染上酱油醋汁的褐色，碗底积存的汁水基本被吸收Noodles have taken on the brown color of the soy-vinegar dressing; the pooled liquid at the bottom has mostly disappeared

   You know it's right when: 粉丝从里到外都有味，不只是表面The noodles taste seasoned all the way through, not just on the surface