Taiwan Food Atlas

Kinmen Handmade Thin Noodles

Pulled and sun-dried in sea breeze and sunlight — Ma Family's five-generation century-old craft
📍 Kinmen · Jinning🏆 Worth seeking out · Agricultural specialty🌬️ Hand-pulled and sun-dried

Kinmen Handmade Thin Noodles are a hand-pulled, sun-dried noodle product made from wheat flour, salt, and water, with Ma Family Thin Noodles as the area's representative brand. Ma Family founder Ma Sendian originally made noodles in Tong'an, Xiamen, before relocating to Nanmen Li, Kinmen, in the early years of the Republic of China; the business has since passed down through five generations and earned the Ministry of Economic Affairs' "Ten Century-Old Shops of the Republic of China Centennial" recognition in 2011. Kinmen's strong winds and intense sunlight provide ideal conditions for sun-drying handmade noodles, with the Shamei and Nanshan areas forming the main drying-yard clusters.

According to Ma Family Thin Noodles' official website, founder Ma Sendian originally made noodles in Tong'an, Xiamen, before relocating to Nanmen Li in Kinmen during the early Republic of China era; the business has since passed down through five generations. It received the Ministry of Economic Affairs' SME "Golden Lion Award" in 1998, the "Excellence Golden Lion Award" in 1999, "Taiwan Food Souvenir" certification in 2010, and the "Ten Century-Old Shops of the Republic of China Centennial" recognition in 2011, the same year it built a Baroque-style heritage factory open to visitors.

What are Kinmen Handmade Thin Noodles

Kinmen handmade thin noodles are made from wheat flour, salt, and water, worked through kneading, stretching, fermenting, pulling into fine strands, and sun-drying through multiple steps. The salt-to-flour ratio must be adjusted according to temperature and humidity; sun-drying time ranges from half a day to a full day. The finished product is fine, white, resilient, and slow to fall apart when cooked — only dissolving naturally with extended simmering. This natural dissolution is precisely what makes Kinmen noodle porridge achieve its thick consistency without any starch thickener.

Why do they represent Kinmen? Kinmen has ample sunshine, dry sea winds, and stable humidity — ideal conditions for sun-drying handmade thin noodles. Ma Family Thin Noodles has been passed down through five generations and is recognized as one of the Ministry of Economic Affairs' "Ten Century-Old Shops of the Republic of China Centennial," with a brand lineage traceable to 1924. The area around Shamei and Nanshan forms a noodle-drying yard cluster; Jinshan Thin Noodles, Ma Family Thin Noodles, and other brands stand side by side. Handmade sun-dried thin noodles are increasingly rare even on the main island, and Kinmen's climate and generational continuity have made it one of the strongest production areas for this craft.

How to eat them the local way

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Cook into Kinmen noodle porridgeKinmen handmade thin noodles dissolve naturally with long cooking; add rock oysters, pig intestine, meat rolls, and egg drops — a thick broth with no starch added.
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Stir-fry dry noodlesKinmen handmade thin noodles also work well stir-fried dry: add dried shrimp, shredded pork, and scallion for a savory, resilient dish that holds together without breaking.
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Vacuum-packed souvenirVacuum-packed Kinmen handmade thin noodles make a practical souvenir with a long shelf life — cook them at home for an instant taste of Kinmen.
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Visit the drying yardsSome noodle-drying yards in the Shamei and Nanshan area allow visitors; a clear morning is the best time, when full rows of noodles are hanging in the sunlight.

Local knowledge

Verified facts (sponsored content filtered)

  • Ma Family Thin Noodles holds the Ministry of Economic Affairs' "Ten Century-Old Shops of the Republic of China Centennial" designation — the representative brand for Kinmen handmade thin noodles.
  • Ma Family Thin Noodles has been passed down through five generations, maintaining the traditional method of hand-pulling and sun-drying the noodles.
  • The area around Shamei and Nanshan forms the main Kinmen handmade thin noodle drying-yard cluster; Jinshan and Ma Family brands operate side by side.

Visitor tips

  • The noodle-drying yards only present their full display on clear days; they are closed during overcast, rainy weather and when winter northeast monsoon winds are strong.
  • Handmade thin noodles have a relatively high salt content — no additional salt is needed when cooking, as the noodles continue releasing saltiness throughout the process.
  • Vacuum-packed noodles have a long shelf life, but once opened, seal tightly to prevent moisture absorption; absorbed moisture will degrade the texture.

Data compiled from the Kinmen County Tourism Bureau, Kinmen Winery, and a large volume of public reviews, with sponsored content filtered out. Photos will be replaced with channel-exclusive footage after Dio's on-site shoot.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many generations has Ma Family Thin Noodles been passed down?

According to the official website, it has been passed down through five generations.

What official recognitions has it received?

It has received the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Golden Lion Award, Excellence Golden Lion Award, and Taiwan Food Souvenir certification, plus the Ten Century-Old Shops of the Republic of China Centennial honor in 2011.

Why is Kinmen suited to sun-drying handmade noodles?

Kinmen's strong winds, intense sunlight, and stable humidity provide ideal conditions for sun-drying handmade noodles.

Sources

🗺️ View on the map ← All Kinmen dishes