Kitchen Language: What Does QQ Mean? - MICHELIN Guide

• Restaurants
• Hotels
• Travel Guides
• Magazine
• Best-of Guides
• Events
• MICHELIN Guide Plus
• Contact us
• Subscribe to newsletter
• Singapore - English - SGD

Dining Out 1 minute 13 May 2016 Kitchen Language: What Does QQ Mean?

That delightful, toothsome bounce you get in chewy noodles, fishballs and glutinous rice cakes.

Kitchen Language Singapore Taiwan

Share

What is QQ? QQ is the bounciness associated with fresh handmade fishballs, glutinous rice balls, and certain types of noodles. The term originated from Taiwan, where Q sounds similar to the local word for “chewy”, but it’s evolved to mean a little more than that. The Asian version of al-dente, QQ foods are soft but not mushy - they must offer some resistance to the bite.

How do you get it?

For fishballs and fish paste to develop their springiness, a paste made of pureed fish and sometimes egg must be kneaded and violently thrown onto a tabletop up to fifty times in order to develop the “stickiness” that allows it to be shaped into balls. Many stalls cut costs with the liberal addition of starch, but the QQ result can be achieved by pure elbow grease.

The QQ texture in wheat noodles is obtained with the addition of lye water or kansui (枧水), an alkaline solution containing potassium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate that regulates acidity in the process of dough making. Such noodles are known in Chinese as jian mian (碱面) or lye noodles. Dilute the lye water and knead it into your dry ingredients to obtain a dough.

The science behind it Lye water raises the alkalinity of the noodle dough, encouraging water absorption during the boiling process while strengthening the proteins. This gives rise to the paradoxical soft-yet-toothsome bite that is QQ.High impact from the throwing and kneading cause the proteins in fish meat to tangle, making the texture springier and less tender. It also removes air pockets from the paste, yielding a firmer, bouncier ball.Usage“Ah Q Wonton Noodle has the most QQ noodles ever - firm and springy!” Written by Stephanie Lim A writer by trade and cook by necessity, Stephanie Lim has lived and cooked in Australia, London, India and Singapore. She is also co-founder of Treebubs, an outdoor Mandarin school for tots. Her most demanding job yet is training her three-year-old sous chef and one-year-old chef de partie.

Dining Out

Dining Out 4 minutes

8 Inspectors’ Favorite Dishes From The MICHELIN Guide Seoul & Busan 2026

These are the dishes that left the strongest impression on MICHELIN Inspectors in The MICHELIN Guide Seoul & Busan 2026.

Seoul Korean Busan Dining Out 3 minutes

Where to Dine Alone in Ho Chi Minh City? These MICHELIN Restaurants Are Perfect for One

From lively street-side counters to refined MICHELIN restaurants, these spots in Ho Chi Minh City make solo diners feel right at home.

dining out Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City Dining Out 4 minutes

February 2026: 6 New Restaurants Join the MICHELIN Guide Singapore

Six new MICHELIN Guide Singapore additions span Nordic finesse, Burgundian classics, refined Cantonese fare and beloved hawker staples.

Announcement Michelin Guide New Additions Dining Out 3 minutes

The MICHELIN Inspectors’ Top Tips for Solo Dining

Not sure how to get a reservation for one? Looking for the best places to dine alone? Our Inspectors have the answers.

Inspectors Michelin Guide Editor's Pick All articles of Dining Out

Keep Exploring - Stories we think you will enjoy reading

Features 5 minutes

Buddha Jumps Over the Wall at MICHELIN Restaurants: Tradition Meets Modern Creativity

A Fuzhou banquet dish built on patience and excess, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall shows how chefs balance luxury, technique and tradition in one bowl.

New Year Iconic Dishes Asia Dining Out 5 minutes

Chinese New Year 2026: Gallop into the Year of the Horse with these Celebratory MICHELIN Feasts in Singapore

Celebrate the vitality, strength and enthusiasm of the Year of the Horse with abundant platters and convivial treats from Singapore’s MICHELIN establishments.

Singapore Chinese Cuisine Michelin Guide Travel 5 minutes

A Holidaymaker’s Guide to Celebrating Christmas in Singapore the MICHELIN Way

Dazzling light displays and family-friendly festive carnivals without a wintry blanket of snow — that’s how Singapore celebrates the year-end holidays.

Holiday Hotels Restaurants Dining In 3 minutes

How to Make Margherita Like a MICHELIN Pizzeria

Learn the secret sauce behind L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele's Margherita — the only pizza spot in the MICHELIN Guide Singapore.

Singapore Recipe pizza Dining Out 4 minutes

6 MICHELIN Restaurants for Celebrating Hairy Crab Season in Singapore This 2025

Hairy crab season is in full swing this 2025! Here are six MICHELIN restaurants in Singapore serving the delicacy at its autumn peak, from classic to creative options.

Autumn Chinese Cuisine hairy crab Dining In 3 minutes

Iru Den Spills the Secret Recipe for Its Signature Cai Po Butter

Inspired by family and rooted in Taiwan’s soil, Iru Den’s cai po butter blends memory, patience and craft into one unforgettable bite.

Singapore Family Vegetarian Travel 9 minutes

Raffles Hotel Singapore: A Tale of the Iconic 19th Century Hotel

Singapore’s first and only Three-Key hotel has throughout its 135 years of history, hosted countless dignitaries and celebrities. The storied property on Beach Road is not only rich in history, but also in luxurious experiences that will be remembered through time.

Hotels MICHELIN Keys Singapore Travel 1 minute

All the MICHELIN Key Hotels in Singapore

The MICHELIN Guide unveils Singapore's most distinguished hotels of 2025.

Travel Singapore Hotels Travel 1 minute

All the MICHELIN Key Hotels in Taiwan

The MICHELIN Guide announces top honors for Taiwan hotels in 2025.

Hotels Taiwan MICHELIN Keys People 3 minutes

Rising Star: Kazuki Arimoto Wins MICHELIN Guide Singapore’s Young Chef Award 2025

Kazuki Arimoto took Omakase @ Stevens to One MICHELIN Star within a year. Now, the executive chef says his goal is clear: to earn a second.

2025 Young Chef Award Blancpain Travel 7 minutes

Three Singapore Culinary Adventures for Every Kind of Traveler

From history and heritage to gourmet eats in the heart of an urban jungle, there are no bad endings in the Singaporean book of gastronomic adventures.

Travel Michelin Guide Singapore Travel 4 minutes

5 Reasons Taiwan is a Must-Visit in 2025

From vibrant cities to stunning coasts, Taiwan continues to captivate. In 2025, with new tastes, top events and fresh cultural gems, there’s no better time to discover the island.

2025 Travel Taiwan Select check-in date Dates Rates in SGD for 1 night, 1 guest Rates in SGD for 1 night, 1 guest Save

1. MICHELIN Guide
2. Magazine
3. Dining Out
4. Kitchen Language: What Does QQ Mean?

Use the app to find the best restaurants and hotels everywhere

Display settings

Customize your experience by easily adjusting display settings for territory, and currency to suit your preferences!

Territory: USA France United Kingdom Italia Germany Thailand España Japan Taiwan Netherlands Abu Dhabi Argentina Austria Belgium Brazil Canada Chinese Mainland Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Dubai Estonia Finland Global Greece Hong Kong Hungary Iceland Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Malaysia Malta Mexico Norway Poland Portugal Qatar Republic of Ireland Saudi Arabia Serbia Singapore Slovenia South Korea Sweden Switzerland The Philippines Türkiye USA - Alabama (American South) USA - California USA - Chicago USA - Colorado USA - Georgia (American South) USA - Louisiana (American South) USA - Massachusetts USA - Mississippi (American South) USA - New York USA - North Carolina (American South) USA - Orlando, Miami, Tampa USA - Pennsylvania USA - South Carolina (American South) USA - Tennessee (American South) USA - Washington DC Vietnam Language: English 中文 Currency: USD - US Dollar EUR - Euro GBP - Pound Sterling CAD - Canadian Dollar CHF - Swiss Franc JPY - Yen AED - UAE Dirham AUD - Australian Dollar BBD - Barbados Dollar BHD - Bahraini Dinar BMD - Bermudian Dollar BRL - Brazilian Real BSD - Bahamian Dollar CLP - Chilean Peso CNY - Yuan Renminbi COP - Colombian Peso DKK - Danish Krone DOP - Dominican Peso FJD - Fiji Dollar HKD - Hong Kong Dollar IDR - Rupiah INR - Indian Rupee ISK - Iceland Krona JMD - Jamaican Dollar KES - Kenyan Shilling KWD - Kuwaiti Dinar LKR - Sri Lanka Rupee MAD - Moroccan Dirham MUR - Mauritius Rupee MXN - Mexican Peso MYR - Malaysian Ringgit NOK - Norwegian Krone NZD - New Zealand Dollar OMR - Rial Omani PGK - Kina PHP - Philippine Peso PKR - Pakistan Rupee QAR - Qatari Rial SAR - Saudi Riyal SCR - Seychelles Rupee SEK - Swedish Krona SGD - Singapore Dollar THB - Baht TND - Tunisian Dinar TRL - Turkish Lira TTD - Trinidad and Tobago Dollar VEB - Bolivar XPF - CFP Franc ZAR - Rand Save

Want to leave a review?

Go to the "Visited" list underMy Lists and tap the "Review" button to leave your comments from your visit

× Reset View results

Sort by: