南投縣長許淑華分享紓壓方式與私房景點

What is “yi mian” in Taiwanese cuisine?

意麵 (yì miàn) is a Taiwanese wheat-and-egg noodle most famously associated with Nantou County, in the mountainous center of Taiwan. The noodles are made by hand, dried in the sun, and cooked in a small bowl with minced pork, scallions, and a splash of broth. Nantou’s Yi Mian Festival draws visitors from across Taiwan every year, and locals pride themselves on eating multiple bowls at a sitting. The name 意 (“intention, meaning”) is folklorically connected to a Hakka cook’s name, but the more reliable etymology is the older Hokkien word for the noodle.

In this clip, Nantou County Magistrate Hsu Shu-hua describes her stress relief: Netflix at home plus “四碗還是五碗南投意麵” (“four or five bowls of Nantou yi mian”).