Suzhou people like to eat in accordance with the seasons. In early summer, such local specialties as loquats grown in Suzhou’s Dongshan and Xishan areas and handmade stuffed rice balls start to hit the shelves. And now, savvy foodies have turned their attention to sanxiamian (三虾面), or three-shrimp noodles.
This famous shrimp noodle contains three main parts: the shrimp meat, roe and brain (the “three shrimp”). The base material is fresh shrimps from the Taihu Lake. Chefs use small brushes to clean the shrimp’s belly, filter the shrimp roe remove the meat from shells and take out the brain.
Heat the oil and fry the shrimp brain first, then put the shrimp meat and roe into the pot and fry. Add some salt and cooking wine to balance out the fishy smell. And voila, that’s the essence of the three-shrimp noodle.
Suzhou-style noodles are normally served with base noodles and toppings (locally known as jiaotou, 浇头). Three-shrimp noodle is no exception. It is made up of scallion oil noodle, the “three shrimp” topping, and a small bowl of soup. When the shrimp noodle is served, the delicious smell of the delicacy may have whetted your appetite. Just hold on a second.
Remember to mix the topping with the base noodles. Stir well until each strand of the al dente noodle is coated with tasty shrimp roe. The fresh flavor of the shrimp components is good enough, yet some diners prefer to add some ginger or vinegar to enhance the taste. The special shrimp toppings are served in limited quantity for about 2 months each year. Don’t miss it!