Liangfen (), also spelled liang fen, is a Chinese legume dish consisting of starch jelly that is usually served cold, with a savory sauce, often in the summer.Wilson, Ernest Henry; Sargent, Charles Sprague. (1914) A naturalist in western China, with vasculum, camera, and gun Methuen & co., ltd. p. 63 It is most popular in northern China, including Beijing,(2007-12-05) 凉粉（漏鱼、刮条） 老北京网 / 北京公众出行网 Gansu,Lanzhou Restaurants China Connection Tours and Shaanxi,Xian Dining Beijing feeling but may also be found in SichuanJack Quian, 2006 Chengdu: A City of Paradise AuthorHouse, p. 49 and Qinghai.(2008-03-07) CRIENGLISH.com In Tibet and Nepal it is called laping and is a common street vendor food. In Kyrgyzstan it is an ingredient in a noodle dish called ashlan fu.
Liangfen is generally white or off-white in color, translucent, and thick. It is usually made from mung bean starch, but may also be made from pea or potato starch.Law, Eugene (2004) Intercontinental's best of China China Intercontinental Press (五洲传播出版社), p. 197 Mooney, Eileen Wen. 2008 Beijing Marshall Cavendish, p. 124 In western China, the jelly-like seeds of Plantago major were formerly also used. The starch is boiled with water and the resulting sheets are then cut into thick strips.宋秉武 (Song Bingwu) , 2004 大禹治水的源头—临夏 China Intercontinental Press (五洲传播出版社), p. 30
Liangfen is generally served cold. The liangfen strips are tossed with seasonings including soy sauce, vinegar, sesame paste, crushed garlic, julienned carrot, and chili oil.(2008-08-06) Have a Taste of Beijing’s Summer Food Chinaculture.org In Lanzhou it is often served stir-fried. In Sichuan, a spicy dish called is particularly popular (see photo above).Gan Tian, (2008-03-17) Official word on local cuisine Chinadaily.com.cn
Similar foods include the Korean muk made with buckwheat, mung bean, or water chestnut starch and Japanese tokoroten.
Jidou liangfen, a similar dish from the Yunnan province of southwest China, is made from chickpeas rather than mung beans. It is similar to Burmese tofu salad.
In Northeast China, it is called lapi (拉皮) and is served mixed with julienned vegetables.
See also Liang pi Laping Mung bean sheets
References
External links Liangfen page Liangfen page