Silky sweet potato vermicelli stir-fried with dried bamboo shoots, tofu strips, pork slivers, and a splash of chicken broth — the beloved anchor dish of Jixi's traditional nine-bowl banquet table.
Jixi County in southern Anhui has long been the heartland of Huizhou mercantile culture. Sweet potato cultivation across the hilly countryside yielded a local starch vermicelli prized for its translucency and resilience. The dish anchors the traditional Jixi banquet formats known as 'nine bowls, six dishes' and 'ten bowls, eight dishes.' Legend holds that during Emperor Kangxi's southern tour, the imperial household manager Cao Yin recruited a Jixi chef from a restaurant near Suzhou's Changmen gate; the chef's stir-fried vermicelli — sweet potato noodles tossed with tofu strips, dried bamboo shoots, and rich chicken broth — so delighted the emperor that it won lasting renown beyond the county's borders.
Silken, springy strands that soak up the broth without going limp, punctuated by the woodsy snap of dried bamboo shoots and the salty chew of golden tofu strips.
Jixi sweet potato vermicelli is made from a high-amylose starch that gelatinises at roughly 65–70°C, forming densely hydrogen-bonded molecular chains after cooling. When the soaked vermicelli hits the hot wok, the surface starch rapidly re-gelatinises and contracts, locking absorbed broth inside each strand while the exterior becomes glossy. Dried bamboo shoots contribute glutamate and alanine released through enzymatic breakdown during the drying process, amplifying the savoury base when combined with soy sauce and stock. The result is the dish's signature texture: slick on the outside, chewy and broth-laden at the core.
Variations
Some households enrich the broth with pork bone stock instead of chicken, producing a richer result; restaurant versions often add slivers of fresh red chili for heat; emigrant Huizhou cooks in coastal cities have been known to add dried shrimp for extra umami depth.
On the Palate
Where Jixi Stir-Fried Vermicelli sits in the Chinese flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 40 min
- 130 min
Soak sweet potato vermicelli in warm water for 30 minutes until fully pliable; separately soak dried bamboo shoot slivers in cold water for 20 minutes to remove bitterness.
- 210 min
Slice pork loin into fine strips; marinate with light soy sauce, cornstarch, and a drop of sesame oil for 10 minutes.
- 35 min
Cut firm tofu sheets into matchstick strips; slice red pepper and scallion into thin slivers.
- 43 min
Heat wok over high flame with 2 tablespoons oil; stir-fry pork strips until just white and barely cooked through, about 1 minute; remove and reserve.
Watch outPull the pork the second it turns white — a minute is enough; overcooked here and it's tough by the time the noodles finish.
- 53 min
In the same wok, stir-fry dried bamboo shoot slivers and tofu strips for 2 minutes until fragrant; add red pepper slivers and the pork and toss to combine.
- 65 min
Drain the soaked vermicelli and add to the wok; pour in 120ml light chicken stock; season with soy sauce, a pinch of sugar, and white pepper; cover and steam-braise over medium heat for 3 minutes.
- 73 min
Uncover; raise heat to high and stir-fry rapidly, tossing until the liquid is mostly absorbed and every strand is coated in glossy sauce.
Watch outFinish over high heat, tossing until the liquid is nearly gone and every strand glistens with sauce — sauce still pooling means it's watery, not glossy.
- 81 min
Scatter scallion slivers over the top, toss once, and transfer to a serving plate immediately.
