The Hutong's Quarantine Cook-Off, Final Round: Hot-Dry Noodles

Original Tom Arnstein theBeijinger

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With all this extra time indoors, and with many of our favorite restaurants closed, our cooking game has been seriously leveling up. So it's time to put those skills to the test.

Now in its final week, The Hutong has selected not one but two new recipes for you to follow in the hope of winning Quarantine Cook-Off glory. All you need to do is cook the dishes, take a picture, post it on Instagram or WeChat, and let the likes roll in!

Click 'Read more' at the bottom of this post for full competition details and recipes.

This week's dishes: Wuhan hot-dry noodles and spinach with peanuts

Wuhan hot dry noodles (武汉热干面 wǔhàn rè gān miàn) has been a favorite of Wuhan’s culinary culture since the 1930s. Although more modern than other traditional noodle dishes, this popular breakfast fare from Hubei’s capital, is noted for its simple cooking method and its rich flavors that combine spicy, salty, sour, and nutty tastes. Wuhan has long and hot summers, and in order to preserve food, the locals pickle vegetables, smoke and cure meats, and use alkaline water to add texture to their noodles. All of these ingredients and techniques are present in hot-dry noodles, making for a combination that when done right, should knock your socks off and have your mouth tingling long after your bowl is empty.

Now that your mouth is on fire, you'll likely want to soothe your palette, and what better way than with a classic plate of spinach with peanuts. This cold dish is popular throughout the year but especially welcomed in springtime when the weather is heating up and the cooling properties of the spinach mix with the earthy crunch of the peanuts and the dash of garlic for a side that is flavorful but not too filling. Easy to cook wherever you may in the world, this simple recipe is also guaranteed to be universally liked.

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How to enter

Depending on which social media you choose to post on, you should:

WeChat: Take a screenshot to show us that you posted your dish picture in your Moments and send it to The Hutong's WeChat (ID: TheHutongBeijing), or scan the QR code at the bottom of this post.
Instagram: Post your photo adding the hashtags: #TheHutong #TheHutongkitchen #TheBeijinger #quarantinecookoff

Entries should be submitted by midnight on Sunday, Apr 19 and the winner will be announced on Tuesday, Apr 23 at 2pm.

For your hard work sweating it out in the kitchen, you stand the chance to win culinary merchandise from The Hutong (plus plenty of kudos from your friends). A winner will be chosen each week by The Hutong’s in-house chef and dishes will be judged on creativity, plating, photography, and Instagram/WeChat likes.

Scan the QR code in the poster for details of this week's recipe or the code below for The Hutong's official WeChat, and be sure to follow the Beijinger (Instagram: @the_beijinger; WeChat ID: thebeijinger) and The Hutong (Instagram: @thehutong; WeChat ID: thehutong) on social media.

Need a hand to get the ingredients?

Contact The Hutong via WeChat or mobile 159 0104 6127 to order a package containing all the ingredients you need to cook each week's recipe. They also offer other ingredients/recipe packs.

Happy cooking, Beijing! May the best dish win.