Shanxi ti gian noodles, a specialty of Taiyuan

Is it a type of noodle or not? Traditionally, Chinese noodles are long and round, and are either knife-cut, kneaded or pulled from dough. However, the process of making ti gian noodles – or "scrape tips" when directly translated from Chinese to English – from Taiyuan, north China's Shanxi Province, is more convenient and simple.

Ti gian noodles are made from a plate or bowl of very wet and soft dough, using a tool like a chopstick or sharpened piece of bamboo to scrape the dough into small strips to add to a potful of boiling water.

These ti gian noodles are commonly shorter than hand-pulled or knife-cut ones, but after serving in a bowl, they can be seasoned with similar toppings and sauces according to your preferences.