Hand pulled noodles, often called Lā Miàn 拉面, are a conventional Chinese language noodle made by repeatedly stretching and folding wheat dough into lengthy strands by hand. They’re a staple of northern Chinese language delicacies and are valued for his or her chewy texture and easy substances. Plus, noodles are one of many core components of Chinese language meals tradition, they usually present up in lots of my Genuine Chinese language noodle recipes for that motive.
As you may already know, handmade noodles will be exhausting to seek out and infrequently costly outdoors of China, together with right here in New York. That’s precisely why I made a decision to share this recipe, together with my knowledgeable suggestions from years of cooking Chinese language meals at dwelling and growing recipes professionally.
Whether or not it’s a scorching bowl of noodles in a restaurant or freshly made noodles cooked at dwelling, I really like that this is likely one of the most inexpensive methods to arrange a filling and hearty one dish meal. With my recipe, I stroll by the dough mixing, resting, and pulling course of step-by-step utilizing solely flour, water, and salt, with just a little lively work as soon as the dough has rested. Allow us to begin.
Why make hand pulled noodles at dwelling
Regardless that noodles are cheap at eating places, I nonetheless take pleasure in making them from scratch at dwelling. The explanations are easy:
- Simple to make: As soon as I discovered the method, making hand pulled noodles at dwelling grew to become quite simple.
- No components: I like that selfmade noodles use solely primary substances with out added preservatives.
- Higher style: Freshly made noodles style much better than packaged dried ones.
There are numerous kinds of noodles in China, and right here I introduce the hand pulled selection often called 拉面, la mian. It would sound formidable to make this sort of noodle at dwelling, particularly for those who’ve ever watched a noodle dance in China. However the reality is, hand-pulled noodles are one of many best handmade noodles for novices to make.
Hand Pulled Dough Methodology
There are two important approaches to creating hand pulled noodles:
- In skilled kitchens, cooks normally knead the dough for a really very long time to construct robust gluten, then relaxation it for an prolonged interval so it may be pulled. That methodology works properly in eating places however shouldn’t be very sensible at dwelling.
- After many check runs, I discovered that kneading simply till the dough is clean works significantly better for dwelling cooks. By avoiding extreme gluten improvement, the dough wants a lot much less resting time and is less complicated to deal with. This strategy makes use of minimal lively kneading and produces a gentle, springy dough that pulls simply.
Methods to make
1. Put together the dough – 1 brief relaxation
To make the dough with out growing an excessive amount of gluten, you don’t must knead the dough for very very long time and it’ll not be clean after first kneading. However as soon as the dough relaxation the primary time, it solely takes a couple of kneading to clean out the dough.
Combine the dough: Slowly drizzle the salt water into the flour whereas mixing. Proceed till the water is absolutely integrated and the flour varieties shaggy threads.
Knead: Convey the dough collectively and knead, including a small quantity of water if dry flour stays. Proceed kneading for about 2 minutes till a tough ball varieties, taking care to not overwork the dough.
Relaxation: Let the dough relaxation for 20 minutes earlier than kneading it once more, for simply 1 to 2 minutes, till the dough turns into clean.
2. Form the dough – 2nd resting
Roll out the dough relying on the kind of noodles you need to make and let it relaxation for two hours to completely chill out the gluten earlier than pulling and cooking.
I’ve included three kinds of noodle doughs on this recipe, so you’ll be able to select the sort you like:
Notice: Oil the dough and canopy it to stop sticking and drying out.
3. Pull the noodles
Lower the dough: Lower the dough into items based mostly on the width of noodles you need to make. It’s vital to maintain the minimize noodles coated with plastic wrap in order that they don’t dry out.
Pull: Pull the dough into an extended skinny strip in a single movement, then proceed pulling and bouncing it on the desk to stretch it thinner. Fold the strand, then pull and bounce once more till it reaches the specified thickness, apart from flat or huge noodles, which don’t want folding.
Relaxation: Place the pulled noodles on the work floor with out overlapping. If house is proscribed, flippantly mud them with flour so they don’t stick when positioned shut collectively.
4. Cooking
Boiling: Drop a couple of strands of noodles into boiling water at a time and prepare dinner till they’re cooked by and springy, boiling barely longer if a softer texture is most well-liked.
Rinse the noodles: Switch the noodles to a colander and rinse with faucet water to cease the cooking.
Recipe replace notes
I created this recipe again in 2015 whereas I used to be nonetheless residing in China. It’s a household recipe and I created a brief hand pulled noodles video to indicate the method.
Over time, I’ve acquired many constructive feedback and questions from readers. After transferring to the US, I additionally realized that every one goal flour right here is completely different from the flour generally utilized in China, primarily as a result of it has increased protein content material.
That’s the reason I made a decision to retest the recipe utilizing numerous kinds of flour within the US and barely refine the method, so the outcomes are extra constant and nearer to preferrred every time.
Serving ideas
Once I serve hand pulled noodles at dwelling, I preserve the concentrate on the noodles by pairing them with easy sauces like my straightforward peanut nodles or my actual deal sesame noodles. Once I’m internet hosting, I take pleasure in utilizing them in my Dan Dan Noodles recipe or Biang Biang Noodles to create a satisfying noodle centered unfold.
Incessantly requested questions
Can I retailer the uncooked hand-pulled noodles?
Sadly, NO. It’s essential to prepare dinner the noodles instantly when you’ve pulled them. In truth, the pulled noodles ought to be dropped straight into boiling water (that’s how they do it at eating places). If you wish to retailer the uncooked noodles, you need to use starch (or flour) to coat them in order that they gained’t stick collectively. However the dough will change in texture throughout this course of.
If you wish to retailer uncooked noodles, take a look at my rolled noodles recipe.
Can I retailer the cooked noodles?
YES! That is one of the best ways to retailer them. You’ll be able to barely undercook the noodles for those who plan on storing them. In order that they attain the right consistency as soon as they’re reheated. You’ll be able to see extra notes on find out how to reheat within the recipe card under.
Can I retailer the noodle dough?
Sure. When you roll out the dough and let it relaxation at room temperature for two hours, you’ll be able to cowl the dough and transfer it to the fridge. Lower, pull, and boil the noodles if you plan to serve them.
What model and form of flour did you employ?
I examined with numerous manufacturers and kinds of flour and at last achieved a constant end result it doesn’t matter what model we had been utilizing. Within the photos I used all-purpose flour from the King Writer model (11.7% protein content material).
I additionally tried a mix of 370 g (3 cups) of cake flour and 30 g (3 tablespoons) of bread flour. This combination produces a barely smoother dough (marginally). It’s potential to make use of completely different mix to attain completely different texture, even 100% bread flour, however I don’t advocate utilizing 100% cake flour.
I noticed skilled hand-pulled noodles use alkaline water. Why don’t you employ it?
Utilizing alkaline water within the noodle dough will increase the chewiness of the feel and it doesn’t have an effect on the pulling course of. I discovered that even for those who skip the alkaline water, you’ll produce an incredible end result with a chewy texture (with out the noodles getting too powerful). So I made a decision to skip this ingredient, which makes the recipes a bit extra difficult.
Chinese language Cooking Made Simple
Are you new to this web site? This free e mail collection is a superb place to start out. I’ll stroll you thru a couple of of my hottest recipes and present you ways and why they work. You’ll rapidly begin to prepare dinner higher Chinese language meals in your individual kitchen.
I really like making these freshly made hand pulled noodles as a result of they’re springy and satisfying, with a chewy texture that you’ll by no means get from dried noodles. I present a whole information with genuine Chinese language suggestions so you may make them at dwelling with out fail utilizing solely 4 substances.
Stop your display from going darkish
Make the dough by hand (Possibility 1)
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Mix the water and salt in a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the salt.
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Add the flour into a big bowl. Little by little, pour the water into the flour, mixing with a pair of chopsticks or a spatula as you go.
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As soon as all of the water is added, the dough ought to be in shaggy threads with little/no dry flour within the bowl. Start urgent the dough collectively. For those who discover the dough is just too dry and there’s nonetheless dry flour that’s exhausting to include into the dough, drizzle extra water onto the dry flour and blend it once more, till there’s no dry flour left. Knead the dough till a tough, agency ball is shaped, about 2 minutes.
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Cowl the bowl with plastic wrap and let it relaxation for 20 minutes.
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As soon as the dough is rested, knead it once more till it turns into clean, 1 to 2 minutes.
Make the dough utilizing KitchenAid (Possibility 2)
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Combine the flour and salt within the bowl of the KitchenAid mixer and add the dough hook. Flip it to the combo setting. Slowly drizzle the water down the aspect, all alongside the bowl. This could take about 1 minute. As soon as the water is integrated, flip to setting 2 and knead till a tough dough ball is shaped, one other 2 to three minutes.
Second kneading
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Both knead within the machine on setting 4 for 30 seconds or by hand for 1 to 2 minutes. Then form the dough.
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(Optionally available) For those who plan to retailer/freeze the dough, coat the dough with oil and retailer it in a sealed plastic bag. Refrigerate for as much as 2 days or freeze for as much as 3 months.
Form the dough
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FOR THIN NOODLES: Divide the dough to halves and roll every dough right into a 1/2” (1 cm) thick oval.
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FOR FLAT NOODLES: Divide the dough to halves and roll every and roll every dough right into a 1/4” (1/2 cm) thick oval.
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FOR WIDE NOODLES: Lower the dough into 8 items. Roll every bit into roughly 3”x5” (8×13 cm) ovals, 1/4” (1/2 cm) excessive.
Pull and prepare dinner the noodles
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Convey a medium-sized pot of water to a boil.
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FOR THIN NOODLES: Lower lengthy the longer aspect of the oval, slicing the dough into 1/2” (1 cm) huge strips and rolling every bit barely to the aspect with every minimize to stop them from sticking collectively. Cowl the minimize items with the plastic once more to stop them from drying out. Beginning with the primary strip you narrow off, choose it up on each ends. (*Footnote 2) In a single swift movement, tug the noodle about an arm’s size and gently bounce it on the working floor a few times till it varieties an extended, skinny noodle. Relaxation the noodle in your working floor as you fold it over, in order that each ends are in a single hand. Hook the opposite aspect along with your thumb. Give it a pair mild tugs and bounces till the noodles get longer and attain the specified skinny form. Then pull off the thick ends collected in a single hand and lay the noodle out on the working floor. Repeat with the remainder of your noodles.
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FOR FLAT NOODLES: Lower alongside the longer aspect of the oval, slicing the dough into 1 1/2” (3 cm) huge strips. Cowl the minimize items with the plastic once more to stop from drying out. Beginning with the primary strip you narrow off, choose it up on each ends. (*Footnote 2) In a single swift movement, tug the noodle to about an arm’s size and gently bounce it on the working floor a few times. Relaxation the noodle in your working floor for 10-20 seconds, then give it a pair extra-light tugs and bounces till it varieties a flat lengthy noodle. Then pull off the thick ends and lay the noodle out. Repeat with the remainder of your noodles. Drop the noodles into the boiling water, a couple of at a time, and prepare dinner for 1 to 1.5 minutes.
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FOR WIDE NOODLES: One after the other, grip the brief ends of a strip (*Footnote 2) and pull it aside in a single swift movement till the dough feels taut. It ought to be between 1 to 2 ft. Bounce it on the desk a pair instances. Pull off the thick ends and lay the noodle out, overlaying it with plastic to stop drying out.
Prepare dinner the noodles
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Drop the noodles, a couple of items at a time, into the boiling water and prepare dinner for 1 to 1.5 minutes, till tender however nonetheless with a chewy texture. Don’t prepare dinner too many noodles at a time! It’s exhausting to manage the feel that manner and the noodles may stick collectively.
Storage
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Retailer the cooked noodles: For those who plan on reheating, you’ll be able to barely undercook the noodles (to al dente) to create a greater texture as soon as reheated. Retailer the noodles in an hermetic container or a ziplock bag within the fridge for as much as 3 days or within the freezer for as much as 3 months.
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For frozen/refrigerated dough; let the frozen dough thaw within the fridge in a single day. Switch the refrigerated dough to room temperature. Relaxation for two hours. The dough will develop into tremendous gentle and will be gently formed, rested for an additional 10 minutes or so, and pulled. Prepare dinner based on the directions above.
Reheating cooked noodles
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To reheat, deliver a pot of water to a boil and add the cooked noodles. Separate with a pair of chopsticks and prepare dinner till the noodles are simply heated by.
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For a faster and lazier reheating methodology (for leftovers), reheat the refrigerated noodles within the microwave till heated, then rapidly rinse the noodles with faucet water in a colander. Drain the water completely earlier than serving.
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For those who plan to make use of the skinny noodles for fried noodles, you don’t must reheat them earlier than utilizing. Thaw them if frozen. Then run the noodles with faucet water in a colander and separate gently with chopsticks. Drain completely earlier than utilizing for stir fried noodles.
Ingredient Substitution Information
- For those who should not have all-purpose flour, you should utilize 370 g (3 cups) cake flour + 30 g (3 tablespoons) bread flour as a substitute.
- For those who should not have a variety of house for the pulled noodles or for those who’d prefer to strive pulling a couple of noodles at a time (it takes follow nevertheless it’s potential!), you need to mud the noodle dough with further flour to stop them from sticking collectively.
Serving: 1serving, Energy: 187kcal, Carbohydrates: 38.2g, Protein: 5.2g, Fats: 1.1g, Saturated Fats: 0.2g, Sodium: 99mg, Potassium: 54mg, Fiber: 1.4g, Sugar: 0.1g, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?
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Lilja Walter is part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook group and labored intently with Maggie to develop and check this recipe.
