Luosifen
Notoriously stinky, wildly addictive snail-broth noodles
Think of it as: Like spicy, sour pho that went through a fermentation phase
The smell is the bamboo's fault, not the snails'.
What does it taste like?
Sour and fiery, with a powerful fermented funk over a savory snail broth.
SweetSpicySourSaltyFunkSmellTextureSlippery noodles with crunchy toppings
What is it?
Rice noodles in a river-snail broth from Liuzhou, Guangxi. Famous for the eye-watering stink of fermented bamboo shoots. Instant packs turned it into a nationwide craze in China.Source: Wikipedia
How locals eat it
Slurped at Liuzhou street stalls from morning on. Instant packs now ship worldwide.
Watch it
More videos on YouTubeWhere is it from?
🇨🇳China
CapitalBeijing
Populationabout 1.413 billionUN estimate for 2026
IndustriesManufacturing (home appliances, electronics), Electric vehicles, Farming
Common surnamesWang, Li, ZhangFrom national statistics and surname surveys; rankings vary by source
Famous peopleConfuciusPhilosopher known for the Analects
HelloNǐ hǎo
CurrencyRenminbi (yuan)
And JapanJapan's kanji characters originally came from China
Fun factHome of the panda, and one of the most populous countries in the world
The flag🇨🇳 Red is the revolution, the big star is the Communist Party, and the four small stars are the people.
From Tokyoabout 2,090 kmstraight line, Tokyo to Beijing
Getting thereabout 3-4 hours from Tokyo (direct)rough guide
✈ Check cheap flights Best timeApril to May and September to October, when it's neither too hot nor too cold, are best. Also tryPeking duckMapo tofuXiaolongbao More from here🖤 Century egg🥚 Tongzi Dan (Virgin Boy Eggs)🐟 Chou Guiyu (Stinky Mandarin Fish)🦐 Drunken Shrimp🐰 Ma La Tu Tou (Spicy Rabbit Head)
✈ Check cheap flights Best timeApril to May and September to October, when it's neither too hot nor too cold, are best. Also tryPeking duckMapo tofuXiaolongbao More from here🖤 Century egg🥚 Tongzi Dan (Virgin Boy Eggs)🐟 Chou Guiyu (Stinky Mandarin Fish)🦐 Drunken Shrimp🐰 Ma La Tu Tou (Spicy Rabbit Head)
🇨🇳 Sounds & life in China
你好Hello（Nǐ hǎo）
Chinese characters (simplified)
Chinese characters (simplified)
Right now…
Anthem"March of the Volunteers" (义勇军进行曲)
MusicPeking opera Traditional theater of song, dialogue and acrobatic fighting
Listen on YouTube SportTable tennis (basketball is hugely popular too)
Ma Long (table tennis; six Olympic gold medals) World HeritageThe Great Wall and more National animalGiant panda (unofficial) FestivalSpring Festival (January-February, Lunar New Year)
MusicPeking opera Traditional theater of song, dialogue and acrobatic fighting
Listen on YouTube SportTable tennis (basketball is hugely popular too)
Ma Long (table tennis; six Olympic gold medals) World HeritageThe Great Wall and more National animalGiant panda (unofficial) FestivalSpring Festival (January-February, Lunar New Year)
Ingredients
- 100 g thick rice noodles
- 400 ml river-snail and pork-bone broth
- 30 g fermented bamboo shoots
- 2 tbsp fried peanuts
- Fried tofu skin
- Leafy greens
- 1 tbsp chili oil
Can't find it? Fermented bamboo shoots come in instant kits or at Chinese grocers.
How to make it (one way)
- Simmer river snails and pork bones with spices for hours to make the broth.
- Cook the rice noodles.
- Put the noodles in a bowl and pour over the hot broth.
- Top with bamboo shoots, peanuts, tofu skin and greens.
- Add chili oil, stir well and eat.
⚠️ The smell will linger in your kitchen and clothes.
Get the ingredients (ad)
luosifen instant noodlesAmazon