Our VCE Year 11 students were in for a very special excursion treat, investigating China's traditional cuisine and history as part of their Unit 1 Food Studies: Students went to "Bowltiful - Halal Lanzhou Beef Noodles" in the CBD where they learnt about the origin and ancient art of these hand-pulled noodles.
Our students learnt that the Chinese Muslim style of beef noodle is also known as clear broth or consommé-stewed beef noodle. It uses halal meat and contains no soy sauce, resulting in a lighter taste that may be later on complemented with salt and herbs. Locals attribute its creation to a Hui Chinese man from Lanzhou named Ma Baozi. It is usually served with clear soup and one serve of hand-pulled lamian noodle per bowl. Hand-pulled noodles are fresh and chewy with a natural resistance that springs back with every bite.
Students could choose from 9 types of noodle thickness and shapes which were all 100% handmade on site with precision and dexterity by Bowltiful's expert chefs - a delicious culinary experience that was greatly enjoyed by all!
We are very grateful to the wonderful and highly supportive staff at "Bowltiful" for making our visit such a fantastic experience for our students and supervising staff. The excursion concluded with a walk around Chinatown.