Have you ever wondered how to unravel the secrets behind hand-pulled noodles?
Have you ever wondered how to unravel the secrets behind hand-pulled noodles? This staple noodle dish (la mian lit. “stretched noodle”) isn’t an ancient mystery to puzzle over. It’s something you can make from the comfort of your own home! The springiness and chewiness will hit all the right spots – at least on your taste buds! Do you recognize the mouthfeel of QQ? In that case, you’re going to love experimenting with your noodle-making skills!
Noodles in Chinese Food Culture
With thousands of years to develop, Chinese food culture is probably one of the most sophisticated and dynamic types of cuisine anywhere in the world. There are the dishes you know all too well from local takeout joints. For the most part, those have been catered towards American/Western tastes and may not be as authentic as the recipes arising from the mother country. Surprisingly enough, noodles and such soups are so easy to find. They’re inexpensive and one of the ultimate local comfort foods.
Reasons to Indulge in Homemade Noodles
Okay, so what do you need to know about trying to make them yourself? Aside from the premade noodle packages that you add boiling water to, of course. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll want to keep doing it over and over again. Plus, there aren’t any weird additives or preservatives. Last but not least, freshly-made noodles taste fantastic!
It’s Actually Pretty Easy!
As we noted above, making the hand-pulled style of noodle is easy. The hand-shaved variant (dao xiao mian) comes to us from the Shanxi province. It calls for a dense block of dough. One hand holds onto the dough while the other guides a square-bladed knife made specifically for this purpose. The point is, your goal is to knead the dough so that it is smooth. However, you shouldn’t get carried away; overactive gluten will make the process much more difficult than necessary.
Preparing the Dough Up to the First Rest
By letting the dough rest, you can prevent the gluten from getting too excited. That’s why three separate “naps” are so important. Start by sprinkling some salted water into the flour. Mix as you do so. Once the water has totally absorbed, wait until the flour turns shaggy. From here, kneading the dough becomes much easier.
Do you see any dry flour? In that case, add some water until there is none left. At this point, set yourself a two-minute timer. That way, you’ll knead the dough enough so that it becomes a ball but isn’t too tough to work with. Then set it aside and allow it to rest for twenty minutes!
Get All Your Asian Groceries at Lotte Plaza Market
Lotte Plaza Market is your go-to destination for all of your Korean and Asian grocery needs. With more than 10 Maryland and Virginia locations, this growing market is continually expanding and opening new markets to serve our customers better. Since we opened in 1976, our goal has always been to provide the best customer service and groceries to our customers. For answers to all of your questions, please email us at LottePlaza.com.