Crossing the Bridge

How to eat Yunnan rice noodles like a local.

Ten Seconds keeps the century-old ritual alive. Follow these four steps to build a steaming bowl that stays hot from the first pour to the last sip.

Step-by-step ritual

  1. Warm the Bowl

    Start with the steaming clay pot of broth. Gently stir to wake the aromatics and make sure the heat is evenly distributed.

  2. Layer the Proteins

    Add the raw meats first—thinly sliced beef—so they cook in the broth. Follow with hearty items like meat paste, spam, fish cake,marinated quail egg, and tofu puffs.

  3. Fold in Vegetables

    Toss in the crisp vegetables next: wood ear mushrooms, pickled cabbage, corn, and chives. The quick dip keeps them bright and crunchy.

  4. Finish with Noodles

    Slide the rice noodles in last so they stay springy, then stir and sip while everything is piping hot.

Pro tip

Keep your spoon moving. Sipping and stirring between bites keeps the broth blazing hot—just like it does in Yunnan.