There is also a legend that records the process of Peng Hui's application to beef noodles. Legend has it that a man accidentally dropped flour into the ash while making noodles. The flour was stained with dust, but he didn't want to throw it away. So he picked up the flour that fell into the ash and washed it. Surprisingly, the flour stained with wormwood ash is tough, so it was inadvertently made into the earliest beef noodles. Although this is only a legend, it illustrates a problem, that is, Peng ash has played a very good role in improving the toughness of noodles.
Pogostemon cablin generally grows on saline-alkali soil. In the past, when there was no edible alkali, Peng Hui was used by many northwest families to make steamed bread and noodles. Pennisetum generally grows on saline-alkali soil with high alkali content. This plant itself contains a lot of alkali. Lamian Noodles made with Peng Hui is very thick and fragrant, which is also a major feature of beef noodles. In the past, when there was no washing powder, people in the northwest used Cao Peng ash to wash pots and pans and wash clothes. Wash your hair with plant ash to make it black and shiny.
Method for making cattail ash. Generally speaking, it is to find a higher place and dig a funnel-shaped pit. It is best to install an iron pipe and a hand blower at the smallest place at the bottom. After making these preparations, we can collect some Pennisetum, and then put it in the pit to light it. When the grass in the pit is about to burn out, we can add more until it is completely burned out. The burning ashes began to slowly condense together, and finally condensed into small pieces, which can be packaged after cooling. Therefore, Peng ash is not gray, but thick. The purest gray is blue, followed by white, and the worst is black. Both steamed bread and noodles can be used, and the effect is much better than alkaline noodles.