Neritic squid rice noodles

Neritic squid rice noodles (Chinese: 小卷米粉; Tongyong Pinyin: Siǎo juǎn mǐ fěn; Tâi-lô: sió-kńg-bí-hún) is a traditional Taiwanese noodle dish originating in Tainan, Taiwan. It consists of neritic squids served in a clear seafood-based broth with thick rice noodles (大箍米粉), typically garnished with celery and white pepper. The dish is considered a regional specialty of Tainan and is most commonly found around Guohua Street in the city.^[1]

Compared with similar southern Taiwanese dishes such as milkfish rice noodles or pomfret rice noodles, which more commonly use thin rice vermicelli, neritic squid rice noodles are notable for their use of thicker rice noodles, which are more resistant to overcooking and have a firmer texture.^[2] Some variations of the dish may include minor seasoning adjustments, but the dish is generally characterized by minimal additional ingredients.^[3]

Neritic squid rice noodles originated in Tainan during the Japanese colonial period. The dish is generally attributed to Yeh Shui-lung (葉水龍), whose family operated a food stall near the Fort Provintia area, close to what is now the intersection of Guohua Street and Zhongzheng Road. The stall originally sold dishes such as milkfish rice noodles, hairtail fish rice noodles, fish soup, and rice cakes.^[4]

Due to the seasonal availability of milkfish and hairtail fish, Yeh Shui-lung began experimenting with neritic squid as an alternative main ingredient after observing the increased landings of squid by fishing vessels in southern Taiwan. He paired the squid with thick rice vermicelli, which was less commonly used in Tainan at the time, resulting in a dish that gradually gained popularity. By the mid-20th century, neritic squid rice noodles had become a distinctive local specialty.^[5]

• Taiwanese cuisine
• Rice vermicelli
• Squid as food