Henan Stewed Noodles
河南烩面 · hé nán huì miàn
Hui mian is Henan in a bowl. The broth is lamb, milky white from long simmering; the noodles are wide, thick ribbons pulled by hand and dropped straight into the broth so their starch thickens it; and everything — glass noodles, wood ear, greens — is stewed together rather than assembled. Zhengzhou locals eat it at breakfast, in a bowl the size of a small basin.
Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen
Home-cooking research team
Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29
Ingredients
- wide fresh wheat noodles宽鲜面条🏮 asian300 g
- lamb shoulder, cut into thin slices羊肩肉，切薄片🛒 local300 g
- sweet potato glass noodles红薯粉条🏮 asian50 g dried
- wood ear mushrooms, soaked and torn木耳，泡发撕小朵🏮 asian10 g dried
- baby bok choy, halved小白菜，剖半🏮 asian200 g
- fresh ginger, sliced鲜姜，切片🛒 local15 g
- scallion, cut into lengths小葱，切段🛒 local30 g
- star anise八角🏮 asian2 g
- white pepper, freshly ground现磨白胡椒粉🛒 local2 g
- toasted sesame oil香油🏮 asian5 ml
wide fresh wheat noodles: Wide hand-pulled style noodles from the chilled case; dried wide 'belt' noodles are a fair substitute
lamb shoulder, cut into thin slices: Shoulder stays tender with long simmering; if lamb is hard to find, use beef chuck
sweet potato glass noodles: Soak 20 minutes in warm water first; they go in near the end
wood ear mushrooms, soaked and torn: Soak 20 minutes and trim the hard knot at the base
fresh ginger, sliced: Henan cooks are liberal with ginger in lamb — it is the main defence against gaminess
white pepper, freshly ground: Hui mian is heavily peppered at the table — it is part of the flavour, not a garnish
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Instructions
1Put the lamb in a pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse the meat under hot water.
羊肉飞水
🔍 Look for High heat 6 分钟 · 6 minutesVisual: 肉块覆灰沫、水色浑浊；冲洗后肉片干净呈淡粉Grey foam coats the meat and the water is cloudy; after rinsing the slices look clean and pale pink
You know it's right when: 冲洗时无灰沫浮起，气味是肉香而非膻味No grey scum rises on rinsing and the smell is meaty, not gamy
2Return the lamb to a clean pot with 1.6 L (6¾ cups) hot water, ginger, scallion and star anise. Boil hard, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
大火滚白汤
🔍 Look for High heat 20 分钟 · 20 minutesVisual: 汤汁转为不透明奶白——只有大火滚煮才能做到The broth has turned opaque and milky white — this only happens with a hard, rolling boil
You know it's right when: 气泡持续响亮破裂，表面覆一层白沫Bubbles break noisily and continuously, and the surface has a layer of white foam
3Drop to medium-low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes until the lamb is tender. Skim the surface once or twice.
小火炖烂
🔍 Look for Medium-low 30 分钟 · 30 minutesVisual: 汤汁乳白浓稠，羊肉片略缩但完整不散Broth is creamy and opaque; lamb slices look shrunken but hold together
You know it's right when: 筷子轻压肉片即分开A slice parts easily when pressed with a chopstick
4Add the soaked glass noodles and wood ear. Simmer 6 minutes, until the glass noodles are fully translucent and slippery.
粉条木耳
🔍 Look for Medium-low 6 分钟 · 6 minutesVisual: 粉条由不透明白转为清亮透明，木耳乌亮Glass noodles have turned from opaque white to clear and glossy; wood ear looks glossy black
You know it's right when: 粉条从筷子上滑落而不黏附A glass noodle slides off the chopsticks rather than clinging
5Add the fresh noodles and bok choy directly to the broth and cook 4 minutes. The noodle starch will thicken the soup — that is the point.
面菜入汤
🔍 Look for Medium heat 4 分钟 · 4 minutesVisual: 汤汁浓稠到能挂住勺背，面条胀起发白Broth has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon; noodles are swollen and pale
You know it's right when: 勺子刮过锅底留下沟痕，缓慢才被填平A spoon dragged across the pot bottom leaves a trail that fills in slowly
6Season with salt and white pepper, turn off the heat, and stir in the sesame oil. Ladle into deep bowls and finish with plenty of white pepper and scallion.
重胡椒收尾
🔍 Look for Low heat 2 分钟 · 2 minutesVisual: 奶白汤中有宽面、浅色羊肉、透明粉条与黑色木耳Milky white broth with wide noodles, pale lamb, clear glass noodles and dark wood ear
You know it's right when: 碗还没上桌，胡椒香已先飘出The pepper aroma rises before the bowl reaches the table
Tips
- · The lamb broth only turns white if you boil it hard, uncovered, for the first 20 minutes. A gentle simmer gives you a clear, thin soup instead.
- · Cook the noodles in the broth, not in separate water — their starch is what gives hui mian its body.
- · White pepper goes in at the table as well as in the pot. If you only season once, season at the end.
Sources & references
Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.
- Read our editorial policy
- Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
- USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
- Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records
Common questions
Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?
Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.
Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library
How do you cook vermicelli (glass noodles) in a clay pot without it turning to mush?
Soak the dried vermicelli in warm water just until pliable (not fully soft) before adding — it finishes cooking in the broth. Add it last, give it only 2–3 minutes, and don't let it sit in liquid too long or it bloats and breaks. A clay pot holds heat well, so pull it off the flame the moment the noodles are tender.
Source: HǎoWèi clay-pot guide
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