Liangfen

Liangfen, sometimes spelled as liang fen, is a refreshing Chinese dish made from starch jelly. It's especially popular during the hot summer months and is typically served cold with a savory sauce. This dish is commonly found in northern Chinese regions like Beijing, Gansu, and Shaanxi, but it is also enjoyed in Sichuan and Qinghai. Similarly, in Tibet, a dish called laping, which shares many similarities, is a beloved street food.

The starch jelly in liangfen is usually white or off-white, translucent, and has a thick, smooth texture. It is primarily made from mung bean starch, although sometimes pea or potato starch is used instead. Intriguingly, in western China, the jelly-like seeds of Plantago major were historically used to create this dish. The preparation process involves boiling the starch with water, then cutting the resulting jelly into thick strips.

When it comes to serving, liangfen is typically enjoyed cold and dressed with a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, sesame paste, crushed garlic, julienned carrot, and chili oil. In Lanzhou, there's a unique twist where the dish is stir-fried. Sichuan offers a spicy version known as Chuanbei Liangfen, which delivers a flavorful punch. If you fancy similar dishes, you might enjoy Korean muk made from chestnut starch or Japanese konnyaku jelly.

There's also a variation from Yunnan province in southwest China called Jidou liangfen. This version uses chickpeas instead of mung beans and bears some resemblance to Burmese tofu salad.