Dishes
Sesame oil noodles
麻油麵線
Also called: sesame oil misua · mī-sòaⁿ (麵線, Taiwanese Hokkien)
Very thin wheat noodles tossed in sesame oil, eaten as part of a herbal tonic soup set.
Photo: bryan... from Taipei, Taiwan, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: OnionBulb, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Legoleehk, CC BY-SA 4.0Where it comes from
English Wikipedia says misua originated in Fujian. In Chinese culture the noodles stand for long life, which makes them a traditional birthday food. People are often discouraged from cutting or chewing them.
How it is made
The noodles are boiled briefly, since they break apart if overcooked, then tossed in sesame oil.
How to eat it
Eat them with one of the day's tonic soups. At Po Jen Tang, ordering a set adds the noodles, a drink and a sweet soup.
In Tainan
Po Jen Tang occupies a century-old Chinese medicine shop, now run by the sixth generation, with the apothecary cabinets still in place. It serves seven mild tonic soups each day.
Where to eat it in Tainan
Sources