how to cook bulgur

How to Cook Bulgur.

Bulgur is a grain made from cracked wheat that’s popular in Middle Eastern cuisine. It’s a great source of iron, vitamin B, manganese, and magnesium, and it’s also high in fiber. If you like your bulgur soft like rice, then boiling it is your best bet. However, if you prefer a chewier texture, such as for a salad or tabbouleh, then soaking it is the better option. Once your bulgur is cooked to perfection, add your desired seasonings. This versatile grain will take on any flavors you add to it.



Ingredients.

Boiling Bulgur : 1 1⁄3  c (320 mL) of water, 2/3 cup (180 g) of bulgur.

Soaking Bulgur : 1 cup (240 g) of bulgur, 2  c (470 mL) of boiling water.

Making Bulgur in a Slow-Cooker : Butter, oil, or non-stick cooking spray to grease slow-cooker.

1 cup (240 g) of bulgur, 2  c (470 mL) of water or milk.

Seasoning Bulgur.

2  tsp (9.9 mL) of oil or butter and 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) of kosher salt (for simple bulgur).

1 lemon, 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of olive oil, 1/4 cup (60 g) of chopped fresh mint, 1 cup (240 g) of chopped fresh parsley, 1 chopped tomato, and 1 chopped cucumber (for tabbouleh).

1 red bell pepper, 1/4 cup (60 g) of Kalamata olives, and 1/4 cup (60 g) of chopped sun-dried tomatoes (for Mediterranean bulgur).

1 chopped apple, 1/2 cup (120 g) of raisins, 1 tsp (5 g) of cinnamon, and 1/4 cup (60 g) of brown sugar (for breakfast bulgur).



Method 1 Boiling Bulgur.

1. Bring 1 1⁄3  c (320 mL) of water to boil in a sauce pan. You can use tap water or filtered water if you prefer. Measure out the water and add it to the pan. Then, turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the water to a boil.

Tip: For extra flavorful bulgur, use chicken, beef, or vegetable broth in place of water.

2. Stir in 2/3 cup (180 g) of bulgur and reduce the heat to medium-low. Use a wooden or metal spoon to stir the bulgur into the boiling water. Then, turn down the heat so that the water is just simmering instead of boiling.

You may want to stir the bulgur once every few minutes so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan or boil over.

3. Cover the pot and cook for 10-15 minutes. Place a tight-fitting lid on the pot and set a timer for 10 minutes. Check the bulgur to see if it has absorbed all of the water. If not, keep cooking the bulgur for up to 5 more minutes until all the water has been absorbed.

Pay attention to the bulgur while it cooks. If it starts boiling again, turn the heat down to low.

4. Let the bulgur sit for 10 minutes with the cover on before serving it. Once the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat. Leave the lid on the pot and set a timer for 10 minutes. The bulgur will be ready to eat after the time is up.

The bulgur will be very hot once it finishes cooking. If you want it chilled, place it into the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours or longer.

Bulgur will keep well in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.



Method 2 Soaking Bulgur.

1. Place 1 cup (240 g) of bulgur in a heat-proof bowl. Measure out the bulgur and add it to a glass, ceramic, or metal bowl. Some plastic containers are also heat-proof. Check to see if your container is microwave safe before using it to soak the bulgur with boiling water.

Don’t place the bulgur in anything that might melt, such as a plastic or Styrofoam.

2. Pour 2  c (470 mL) of boiling water over the bulgur. Bring 2  c (470 mL) of water to boil in a tea kettle, pot, or microwave-safe container, such as a glass measuring cup. Then, pour the water over the bulgur.

If needed, stir the bulgur and water together to ensure that the bulgur is fully covered in the bowl.

3. Cover the bowl and let the bulgur sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Place a plate or tea-towel over the bowl to cover it completely. Then, set a timer for 20 minutes. Once the time is up, check to see if the bulgur is at the desired consistency. If it’s still too chewy, let it sit for longer.

If all of the water has been absorbed before the bulgur is fully cooked, add another 1⁄4  c (59 mL) of boiling water and stir it into the bulgur. Then, cover the bulgur again and let it sit for 5 more minutes.

Tip: As long as the bowl that you placed the bulgur into is microwave-safe, you can also microwave the bulgur with an extra 1⁄4  c (59 mL) of water to finish cooking it if it’s still too chewy.

4. Drain off any excess water after the bulgur is cooked. When the bulgur reaches the desired consistency, pour it into a colander over a sink to drain off the excess water. If there’s no excess water left in the bowl, you can skip this.

Store your extra bulgur in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.



Method 3 Making Bulgur in a Slow-Cooker.

1. Grease the inside of the slow-cooker. Spread 2 to 3  tsp (9.9 to 14.8 mL) of butter or oil all over the inside of the slow-cooker with a basting brush or your fingertips, or spray it with non-stick cooking spray.

Opt for non-stick cooking spray if you’re trying to keep the fat and calories as low as possible.

2. Add 1 cup (240 g) of bulgur to the slow-cooker. Measure out the bulgur and pour it into the slow cooker. You can double or even triple the amount if desired. Just make sure to double or triple the liquid as well.

Tip: You can add bulgur to chilies, stews, and soups to make them heartier. Just make sure you balance the liquid in the recipe with the bulgur. Aim for a 2:1 ratio of water to bulgur if you want to absorb the liquid entirely, 3:1 if you want a thick stew, or 4:1 if you want a brothy soup.

3. Pour in 2  c (470 mL) of water or milk. Use water for lighter bulgur or add milk to give it a creamier texture. Measure out the water or milk an pour it over the bulgur.

You can also add extra ingredients to your slow cooker at this time if you want them cooked in with the bulgur.

4. Set the slow-cooker on low heat and cook for 6 to 8 hours. Place the lid on your slow cooker and turn the heat to low. Then, cook the bulgur for 6 to 8 hours or until the liquid is fully absorbed. Check it periodically to ensure that it does not get overcooked.

If you want the bulgur to cook faster, turn the heat up to high and cook it for 3 to 4 hours.

Add and extra 1⁄4 to 1⁄2  c (59 to 118 mL) of water to the slow cooker if the water gets low and the bulgur still isn’t cooked. You can always drain off the excess water if there’s too much.

If you have extra bulgur, store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 3 days.



Method 4 Seasoning Bulgur.

1. Add oil or butter and salt for a simple seasoning. If you want to enjoy the simple, nutty flavor of bulgur, keep the seasoning simple. Pour 2  tsp (9.9 mL) of oil over the bulgur, or mix in 2  tsp (9.9 mL) of butter while the bulgur is still warm so it will melt. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) of salt over the bulgur and stir everything well.

Serve the bulgur as a side dish with chicken, fish, chili, or anything else you like.

2. Make tabbouleh with lemon, mint, parsley, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Pour the juice of 1 lemon and 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of olive oil over the bulgur and stir it together. Then, mix in 1/4 cup (60 g) of chopped fresh mint, 1 cup (240 g) of chopped fresh parsley, 1 chopped tomato, and 1 chopped cucumber in with the bulgur. Chill the tabbouleh for 2 hours or overnight.

Try serving the tabbouleh over lettuce with pita bread and hummus on the side for a complete meal.

3. Add peppers, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes for Mediterranean bulgur. Chop 1 red bell pepper, 1/4 cup (60 g) of Kalamata olives, and 1/4 cup (60 g) of chopped sun-dried tomatoes and stir them in with cooked bulgur. Serve while the bulgur is still warm or chill the bulgur overnight for a Mediterranean style bulgur dish.

Try having this bulgur recipe with a simple salad or steamed veggies.

4. Stir in apples, raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar for breakfast bulgur. Add 1 chopped apple, 1/2 cup (120 g) of raisins, 1 tsp (5 g) of cinnamon, and 1/4 cup (60 g) of brown sugar to the bulgur after the bulgur is cooked. Stir everything together and serve for breakfast.

Pair your bulgur with a cup of Greek yogurt and a glass of orange juice for a hearty breakfast.

Tip: Bulgur is versatile, so try swapping it in recipes that call for rice, couscous, millet, barley, or even pasta.



Question : Can I use bulgur wheat in a salad ?

Answer : Yes, bulgur wheat is a great salad addition. A good example is tabouli, a popular traditional Middle Eastern salad.

Question : Can I put raw bulgar in my soup while it's cooking?

Answer : You can do this but remember that it absorbs twice its volume in water. This means it will soak up the soup liquid and you'll need to replace that to ensure it remains a soup and doesn't turn into a stew. Try a little the first time you do this with your soup recipe, and gradually adjust it each time you make the soup until you get the amount just right. Or, use a recipe which gives exact amounts of bulgar wheat to add.

Question : What is bulgar wheat?

Answer : Bulgar or bulgur wheat is the wheat kernel with the bran portion removed. The kernel is steamed, dried and ground into different grades of coarseness to finish the product. The grain that results is golden-brown in color.

Februari 22, 2020

How to Melt Jolly Ranchers

How to Melt Jolly Ranchers.

Jolly Ranchers are a treat in their own right, but by melting them down, you can make all kinds of new treats. Whether you’re in a hurry or have time to be a perfectionist, melting Jolly Ranchers for your next dessert recipe is quick, easy, and most of all, tasty!

Method 1 Using a Microwave.
1. Place 4 Jolly Ranchers in a microwave-safe dish. A bowl will work, but depending on where you will be pouring the melted candy, a coffee cup will pour a little cleaner.
If you are microwaving more than 4 candies at a time, you will need to increase the cooking time.
4 candies will produce about 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of liquid.
Be sure whatever it is has a handle because the candy will be quite hot once melted.
A glass Pyrex measuring cup works quite well. If heating multiple batches, though, give the glass time to slowly cool between heating.
2. Microwave the Jolly Ranchers at 80% power. Initially cook them for approximately 1 minute. Microwaves will vary, so you will need to adjust based on your specific model. This should get all four pieces to melt in one go.
If the candies do not melt entirely on the first heat, cook them again in 15-second intervals. Then in the second batch, heat for the combined time.
3. Remove the candies from the microwave carefully. Once the candies are melted, they will be very hot, so handle with care. Using an oven mitt or dish towel can help you handle the dish if it is hot as well.
The liquid will begin to harden again within a few minutes, so you will need to work quickly. If it hardens again, simply reheat the candy in 15-second intervals to liquify them again.

Method 2 Melting in the Oven.
1. Preheat your oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Some recipes call for different heats, which you can follow, but this temperature will allow the candies to be melted in a shorter time.
2. Place your unwrapped candies in an oven safe pot while the oven heats. Use a little more candy than your recipe or idea calls for so you have extra to work with. Make sure the candies are level with or lower than the lid of the pot so that the liquid will not overflow when it is done cooking.
Put the candies in evenly stacked layers to ensure they melt evenly in the pot, depending on how much liquid you need to make.
You can expect the liquid to be about half the height of the candies themselves depending on how well they are packed into the pot.
3. Heat your candies in the oven for 10-12 minutes. You do not need to stir the liquid. The less agitation while heating, the fewer air bubbles you will have. If working towards a thin candy-coating, air bubbles will cause cracking.
4. Remove from the oven when the candy has melted. Keep an eye on the liquid as you get near the 10 minute mark. You will want to remove the candy once all the pieces have melted fully. If you heat for too long, it will begin to bubble from the heat. Don’t forget to use oven mitts!
Use the liquid immediately after removing it from the heat. Keep the oven on in case the mixture begins to harden again, but you should have a few minutes to work with the liquid before it does.
If the liquid re-hardens before you are done, pop it back in the oven for about 2-3 minutes.

Method 3 Using Your Melted Jolly Ranchers.
1. Use a mold to reshape the candy. By using a decorative mold, you can reshape the Jolly Ranchers into a themed candy. Allow the candy liquid to cool and re-harden for about 10-15 minutes at room temperature.
Make sure your mold is approved for high heat. Some plastic or chocolate molds will not hold up to the melted liquid.
2. Coat apples with your Jolly Ranchers. Dip each apple in the liquid and hold above the pot for about 30 seconds to allow the liquid to stop dripping. Then place the apple onto a non-stick sheet or plate to cool. In 10-15 minutes, you’ve got a new take on caramel apples.
If the liquid isn’t deep enough to dip anymore, you may need to transfer them to a smaller, deeper bowl or pot. Otherwise, you can pour the liquid over the apples, although this can be more messy!
Use a stick or skewer to pierce and handle the apples. This makes dipping and eating cleaner and safer.
Each apple will need about 12 candies to coat it.
3. Make lollipops using molds and candy sticks. You can find specific lollipop molds in stores that just require pouring the liquid over the candy stick into the mold!
Using either of the melting methods above, you will simply pour the liquid over the molds that have a lollipop stick in them.
Once the candy hardens completely, it will have formed around the stick into a lollipop.
4. Mix the liquid into your favorite drinks. The melted candy will dissolve well into other liquids, such as alcohol. Approximately 12 candies to 8 fluid ounces (227 mL) of liquid will make a fairly sweet drink.
Try mixing them into a brewed tea while it is hot. Then once it cools, you will have a fruity iced tea!
Cooled drinks will take a little longer for the candies to mix with. Consider heating the drink before mixing in the candy liquid if you are in a hurry.

Community Q&A

Question : What is a Jolly Rancher?
Answer; A Jolly Rancher is a hard candy that usually comes in an individually wrapped plastic package. The main five flavors are green apple, grape, cherry, watermelon, and blue raspberry.
Question :  tried several times microwaving and using an oven and it still did not melt. What do I do?
Answer : Melt them for 2 minutes at 30 second intervals. If this does not work, try adding more or less time, depending on your microwave wattage.
Question : Does it work with other candy?
Answer : Any hard candies. It also works with gummy bears!
Question : How can I prevent the Jolly Ranchers from sticking to the bowl and ruining it?
Answer : Use a large, heatproof glass bowl when melting the Jolly Ranchers. Plastic bowls cause the candy to stick to the sides, burning it easily and making it hard to wash off. A glass bowl can prevent this from happening.

Tips.

If you have air bubbles, use a small metal spoon or a toothpick to press them out.

Warnings.
Do not leave the oven or microwave unattended while cooking.
Be absolutely certain your mold is rated for high heat. The candy will be extremely hot, and you don’t want to melt the mold.
Things You’ll Need.
Jolly Rancher candies, Microwave or oven, Microwave or oven-safe pot or bowl, Oven mitt, Spoon, Candy mold, Apples (if making candied apples).

Mei 09, 2020

How to Make Coconut Candy

How to Make Coconut Candy.

Thanks to its sweet, tropical flavor, coconut lends itself very well to a vast array of candy recipes. Find instructions on how to make a selection of delicious coconut treats from around the world after the jump!

Method 1 Making Coconut Candy Squares.
1. Gather your ingredients. To make these delicious coconut candy squares, you will need.
1 1/2 cups of shredded coconut, 2 cups of white sugar, 1/2 cup of light corn syrup, 1/2 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda.
2. Prepare a 9x13" cake tray. Before you begin, line a 9x13" cake tray with aluminum foil and spray the foil with a non-stick cooking spray. Set it aside while you prepare the candy mixture.
3. Combine the sugar, water and corn syrup in a saucepan. Place the saucepan over a medium heat and stir continuously until the sugar dissolves.
4. Bring the contents of the saucepan to the boil. Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the mixture -- you want it to reach 240 °F (116 °C).
5. Add the butter and continue to boil. Once the mixture reaches 240 °F (116 °C), add the butter and stir until it's melted and combined. Allow the mixture to continue boiling (without stirring) until it reaches 260 °F (127 °C).
6. Remove from the heat and add remaining ingredients. Once the mixture reaches 260 °F (127 °C), remove the saucepan from the heat and add in the shredded coconut, baking soda and salt, stirring well to combine. The mixture may foam a little at this point.
7. Pour the coconut mixture into the prepared cake tray. Use a spatula to smooth the mixture into an even layer, then leave to set for several hours at room temperature. Once set, cut into small squares and enjoy!

Method 2 Making Chocolate-Covered Coconut Candy.
1. Gather your ingredients. To make these chocolate-covered coconut candies, you will need.
1 3/4 cups of confectioners' sugar, 1 3/4 cups of shredded coconut, 1 cup of chopped almonds, 1/2 cup of sweetened condensed milk, 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips.
2. Combine the coconut, almonds, sugar and milk. Combine these ingredients in a large bowl until they form a sticky mixture.
Use your hands to divide the mixture into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls, then place them on a greased cookie sheet and leave to chill in the refrigerator for approximately 20 minutes.
3. Melt the chocolate chips. While the coconut candies are chilling, place the chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl and microwave on high power for one minute. Stir the chocolate, then continue to microwave for 10 to 20 second intervals until the chocolate is completely melted.
4. Dip the coconut candies in chocolate. Once the coconut candies of hardened, dip them into the melted chocolate, then allow the excess to drip off. Place the chocolate-covered candies on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. If you like, you can sprinkle some extra shredded coconut or flaked almonds on top, to decorate. Allow the chocolate to set before devouring!

Method 3 Making Jamaican Coconut Drops.
1. Gather your ingredients. To make this traditional Jamaican treat, you only need a few simple ingredients.
2 brown coconuts, 1 cup of fresh ginger, diced, 2 cups of golden brown sugar, packed, 3 cups of water.
2. Prepare the fresh coconut. Take your fresh brown coconuts and use a screwdriver to poke holes through the eyes of the nut. Drain the coconut water from the center of the coconuts -- use or discard as you wish!
Use a hammer to crack the coconuts open and use a butter knife to pry the coconut meat from the shell. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the brown outer layer from the meat, then use a knife to dice the coconut.
Tip: You can make it easier to remove the coconut meat from the shell by baking the drained coconut in a 400 degree F oven for 10 minutes. Allow the coconut to become cool to the touch before cracking with the hammer.
3. Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan. Combine the diced coconut, diced ginger, brown sugar and water in a heavy bottomed-saucepan and place over a medium heat.
4. Bring to the boil. Stir the mixture continuously with a large spoon until it boils and the sugar starts to caramelize. Keep stirring as the mixture thickens to prevent the sugar from sticking to bottom and sides of the saucepan. Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature -- you want it to reach approximately 295 °F (146 °C).
5. Spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet. Once the sugar has caramelized nicely and the mixture becomes very difficult to stir, turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Working quickly, spoon drops of the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper, using about two tablespoons of mixture per coconut drop. Allow the drops to cool and harden before eating.

Method 4 Making Nigerian Coconut Candy.
1. Gather your ingredients. To make this traditional Nigerian dessert, you will need.
One fresh brown coconut, 200g of confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 3/4 cups).
2. Prepare the coconut. Use a screwdriver to puncture holes in the eyes of the coconut and drain the coconut water, setting it aside for later.
Use a hammer to crack open the coconut, then use a butter knife to pry the meat from the shell. Use a fine grater to grate the coconut meat into long, thin strips. Make sure to grate along the meat, rather than across it.
Tip: You can make it easier to remove the coconut meat from the shell by baking the drained coconut in a 400 degree F oven for 10 minutes. Allow the coconut to become cool to the touch before cracking with the hammer.
3. Combine the ingredients in the pot and add water. Place the coconut water, grated coconut and confectioners sugar into a saucepan and stir to combine. Add just enough water to cover the coconut mixture, then place a lid on the saucepan and set to a high heat.
4. Bring the mixture to the boil. Once the coconut mixture starts to boil, remove the lid and stir continuously until most of the water evaporates. Reduce to a low heat and continue stirring while the sugar starts to caramelize.
5. Keep stirring until the coconut pieces start to brown. As the sugar caramelizes, the coconut mixture will start to stick together and the coconut pieces will turn brown.
Once this happens, take the saucepan off the heat and spoon the coconut mixture onto a plate. Be careful not to touch the coconut, as it will be extremely hot!
Once the coconut has cooled, you can serve it as a dessert or keep it for a sticky sweet snack.

Community Q&A.

Question : Can I freeze the remaining coconut candy to eat later?
Answer : Yes. Feel free to store the coconut candy in an airtight container or Ziploc bag and freeze. It can last a few months.
Question : Can I mix honey with the coconut instead of using sugar?
Answer : Yes, honey can be used as a substitute.

Tips.

If you don't feel like cracking open the coconut yourself, ask your local fruit and veg store for a pre-cut coconut.
Store all types of coconut candy in an air-tight container.
Coat the coconut candy with melted sugar. It makes it crispy out side. To make it soft inside pour some caramel on the coconut candy and then pour the melted sugar.


Things You'll Need : Mixing bowl, Heavy-based saucepan, Stirring implement, Cookie sheet, lined (baking paper) or greased, Knife, Air-tight storage container, plastic wrap to cover with.

Mei 26, 2020

How to Pull Off Thin Hand-Pulled Lamian Noodles (part 2).

How to Pull Off Thin Hand-Pulled Lamian Noodles  (part 2).

By TIM CHIN.

Trial 4: The Wide World of Dough Reducers
Adding an alkali wasn’t the answer. I had to dig deeper. Based on one translated source, the composition of penghui includes sodium, potassium, and sulfur. And given my previous tests with potassium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate (both alkalis), I was willing to rule out the first two ingredients.
But sulfur? A quick search for sulfur additives in dough led me to this comprehensive post describing the role of dough reducers in industrial breadmaking. Dough reducers (or reducing agents) are a class of dough conditioners used to decrease mixing time and to improve extensibility. Chief among them are the protein-based reagents cysteine and glutathione; and, coincidentally, sulfites.
I reached out to the author, Dr. Jacinthe Côté, a food biotechnologist and Product Management Director at Lallemand Inc., a major research, development, and manufacturing company that specializes in yeasts and bacteria for natural fermentation processes, including industrial dough processing. According to her, reducing agents act like mixing to reversibly break down the gluten network, resulting in increased extensibility. “You have to be aware that those [disulfide] links can be broken. If you manipulate the dough, or if you stretch it too much, the bridge can be broken. It can be done mechanically, or it can be done chemically.”
For Dr. Côté, gluten development during mixing is best thought of as an oxidation-reduction reaction, hence the name “dough reducers.” “The formation of a disulfide bridge is an oxidation reaction…involving gluten [proteins] containing sulfhydryl (or thiol, denoted by -SH) groups. The oxidation process links the sulfhydryl groups on one protein with another.” Breaking those disulfide bonds chemically is a reduction process known as disulfide interchange. Do you need to know all that hard science? Not really. What’s important is this: Each reducing agent participates in some form of disulfide interchange to relax a dough. But they aren’t all created equal.

Sulfites.
Sulfites are a common reducing agent used in cookie, cracker, and biscuit production; they are used to relax doughs for shaping. These reagents act like caps, covering the reactive sulfhydryl groups on gluten proteins. This capping makes it difficult to reform disulfide bonds—resulting in a dough that can’t form a strong gluten network in exchange for extensibility.
The most commonly available form is a salt, such as sodium metabisulfite (which you can find at most homebrew stores as a preservative for wine making). Unfortunately, sulfite salts have the distinct odor of rotten eggs, can cause sensitivity reactions in some people (rashes, hives, indigestion, as some sulfite-sensitive wine drinkers may know), and are closely regulated by the FDA. They are effective at levels between 20-100 parts per million, so even if you used 1/16th of a teaspoon of a sulfite salt, you would need to add it to several pounds of dough to be effective. Ultimately, sulfite salts are not suited for home cooking (unless you’re making a huge batch of dough).
I had read that penghui smelled strongly of rotten eggs. Based on its reported composition and smell, I suspect that penghui contains some kind of sulfite salt, which would explain its dough-relaxing properties. In the end, I didn’t think sulfites were a viable—or healthy—option for the home cook.

Cysteine.
Cysteine is an amino acid, and the go-to reducing agent in commercial bread production. It’s cheap to produce, you can add it directly to a dough, and it acts quickly, reducing the number of disulfide cross-links between glutenin chains via disulfide interchange. Like sulfite salts, cysteine must be used in small amounts (10-90 parts per million), so it’s not the most practical choice for home cooks looking to make a single loaf of bread or a small batch of noodles. While you probably won’t find it in the baking aisle at your local grocery store, you can buy cysteine over the counter as a dietary supplement. But it does have a bad rap among health-conscious consumers: Most cysteine is extracted from the feathers of birds and hog hair. “There’s a big chemical extraction process,” explains Dr. Côté, and it results in a product that hardly resembles feathers or hair at all.
Despite the bad reputation, I decided to give cysteine a shot. I split open a pill of L-cysteine and sprinkled 0.1 grams of the powder into a working recipe of bread flour, salt, and water. The smell of metallic, faintly rotten eggs immediately stung my nostrils. Within minutes of kneading, the dough turned to a puddle in my hands. I could stretch the dough seemingly infinitely. But the dough lacked any semblance of structure, making it impossible to pull noodles that could hold their shape. I had added too much cysteine. Clearly, using cysteine could work to relax my dough, but it was also impractical and difficult to use correctly: I couldn’t justify asking home cooks to buy a whole bottle of cysteine just to use a couple milligrams of the stuff.

Glutathione (a.k.a. The Winner).
Glutathione is a peptide (a peptide is smaller than a protein, usually containing less than 50 amino acids) that contains cysteine, and functions in a similar way to relax doughs. Most commercial glutathione comes from natural sources like heat-treated, inactive yeast. “When you’re drying the yeast, you’re stressing [it] a little bit, and some of the cells die,” says Dr. Côté. “When the yeast cells die, they release some of their components that are inside the cell. One of the components that is naturally occurring is glutathione.” Lallemand specializes in a product called Fermaid, a non-leavening yeast product that is abundant in glutathione. Still, I didn’t want to buy a specialty, industrial-grade ingredient just to make some noodles (like sodium metabisulfite, you can sometimes find Fermaid at homebrew stores).
But what about nutritional yeast? Technically, it’s deactivated yeast, too, so it would have some proportion of glutathione. Could it work to relax a noodle dough? I pitched the idea to Dr. Côté. She lit up. “Ok! That’s a good one, too. That logic makes sense. A lot of bakeries just use regular inactive yeast (which is generally available industrially). I think there’s about 1.5%–2% glutathione in that product, and it works.” You can make inactive yeast by slowly cooking or drying out fresh yeast, but the process is time consuming. And if nutritional yeast was readily available and just as good, it seemed like a better option.
I started testing with a tablespoon of nutritional yeast mixed into my dough. Unlike my tests with cysteine, I found I could use reasonable amounts of nooch without worrying about over-relaxing the dough. To speed mixing up, I combined all the ingredients in a food processor and ran it just until a dough formed, then transferred the dough to the counter. After a few minutes of kneading and twisting, the dough relaxed considerably and became more extensible.
But unlike the dough with cysteine, it still retained its structure. As I dialed up the amount of nutritional yeast, the dough became even more extensible. By the fifth trial, I was able to pull noodles. The cooked noodles were ideal: chewy, even in thickness, and slurp-worthy. Using nutritional yeast also had a couple unintended benefits: It tinted the noodles a pale yellow—reminiscent of Japanese alkali ramen noodles—and it imparted subtle umami flavor (nutritional yeast is rich in glutamate, giving it a savory, cheesy quality, which explains why it’s often used as a stand-in for Parmesan in vegan recipes). And the best part? I went from mixing to pulling and cooking noodles in 15 minutes flat.
Finally, I had found a reliable way to pull noodles—or at least a way to get a dough with repeatable extensibility. And I didn’t need special equipment, special ingredients, or years of noodle school training.

Refining the Formula.
I solved the hardest part of the noodle problem: I had extensible, cooperative dough that could be both pulled repeatedly and made very quickly. All that remained was to home in on a foolproof formula for optimal handling and texture. I’ll break the rest of my testing down briefly, ingredient by ingredient:
Flour.
Flour is by far the most important ingredient in any dough. I tested various brands of low-protein cake flour, all-purpose flour, and bread flour. Each of these flour types vary in their gluten potential (gluten potential is a term for how much gluten development is possible). Cake flour sits at 7-9% protein content (protein content includes proteins like albumin and globulin, in addition to gluten proteins); at the other end of the spectrum, bread flour contains 12-14% protein, depending on the brand. A flour with higher protein content tends to form a dough with more gluten potential and, consequently, more elasticity and chew.
In the end, I found that bread flour (I used King Arthur bread flour, which has the highest protein content available of all common flours you can find at grocery stores) resulted in noodles that pulled easily but had the proper elasticity for structure. The noodles held their shape well during pulling, and separated into even strands. The cooked noodles were chewier and had a more pleasant spring compared to noodles made with other flours. As the protein content of the flour decreased, dough handling and chew worsened. For instance, the same formula with cake flour was stickier and tended to droop and stick to my hands while pulling and stretching; the resulting noodles were uneven, lacked chew, and were spongy. I also observed that higher-protein flours were able to absorb more water without becoming sticky and unmanageable.
Water.
In general, water serves two primary functions in a noodle dough: It is essential to hydrating flour to form a stable gluten network; and it facilitates extensibility, making a dough stretchable. It’s useful to think of dough as a suspension of solid particles (starches) in a viscous fluid. If you add more water to that dough, you are increasing the size of the suspension, giving more space for the solid particles to move around, which means the dough will stretch more. At the same time, adding more water makes a dough stickier, harder to handle, and less elastic. I found the ideal hydration for my noodle dough (as a percentage of flour weight) sat between 62 and 68 percent. At levels lower than this range, the dough tended to be too elastic and too resistant to stretching. At a hydration higher than 68 percent, the dough was more extensible, but stuck to the work surface and to my hands, and was difficult—if not impossible—to stretch evenly.
Salt.
Salt is used mostly for flavor in my formula. But depending on the concentration, salt also acts as a conditioner in a dough, strengthening the gluten network. I tested doughs with and without salt. I found that without salt, doughs tended to be more slack and sticky. Adding salt made doughs more elastic, but easier to handle.
Oil.
Oil has several effects on dough handling and cooked noodle texture. In general, adding oil inhibits gluten development, since a portion of flour absorbs that oil during mixing. Oil also affects viscosity in a similar fashion to water: It makes a dough softer and more extensible. Lastly, oil seems to improve dough handling by mitigating stickiness to surfaces and hands. That final quality was integral to clean, even stretching in my recipe. Adding oil to my dough slightly increased extensibility without having to add even more water, which would have made my dough too sticky to handle.
Nutritional Yeast.
For optimal extensibility, I found nutritional yeast to be effective between 5 and 8 percent of the total flour weight in my tests. As the protein content of flour increased (up to King Arthur bread flour), I could dial up the amount of nutritional yeast to the top end of that range without compromising structure. As the protein content decreased (to say, Pillsbury cake flour), less yeast was required, and additional yeast made the dough too sticky and slack*.
*If you’re curious, nutritional yeast contains 2.5 milligrams of glutathione per gram.
A Note on Alkali.
What about all that hype around penghui and kansui? For this recipe, I noticed that alkali did make my noodles chewier; but it also made pulling noodles more difficult, and the cooked noodle shape was wavy, curled, and uneven. My noodles had plenty of chew already from high-gluten bread flour, and the added benefit in texture wasn’t worth the regression in dough handling and shaping. In the interest of keeping things simple, I decided to leave alkali out. You could definitely experiment with adding some alkali to your noodle dough to improve chew, but keep in mind that it will negatively impact extensibility.
Rules for the Road.
So now we’ve got a dough formula that works. But it’s still up to you to bring it all home and pull noodles. Here are some guidelines and words of advice to keep in mind for successful noodle pulling.
Use a Scale.
You need a scale. I’m not going to pretend otherwise. You might think you could get away with your heirloom tablespoons and that cute chipped porcelain measuring cup that you copped from Goodwill, but trust me when I say: It will do you no good. If you want consistency, use a scale (preferably digital ).
Stretch and Twirl.
After the formula, the most important aspect of this recipe is proper kneading before pulling noodles. All that stretching, twirling, and doubling over of dough might look flashy, but the process serves a function: It aligns gluten in a roughly linear orientation. Most of the time, general kneading (especially in a mixer) mashes gluten proteins in a random, non-linear way. That randomness is great for breads, which must expand in all directions when rising or baking. But noodles are straight, and need to extend in a linear way. Stretching and twirling is basically linear kneading: You’re mechanically making and breaking bonds in gluten, and aligning them in roughly one direction.
Practice Pulling.
Once you’ve sufficiently developed and aligned your dough, it’s time to pull noodles. This stage is a perfect time to practice. Ultimately, pulling noodles is a hand skill that takes some repetition and feeling. “My recommendation is don’t jump the gun and try to boil your noodles. Just practice,” Luke recommends. Generally, flouring the table and rolling the dough in flour helps keep the noodle strands separate when pulling. But once you’ve floured the table, you have to pull noodles and cook them, since additional flour would be worked into the dough, throwing off our intentionally crafted formula.
Fortunately, the un-floured dough has that repeatable extensibility, so you can practice the pulling motions repeatedly, without fear of the dough tearing or snapping back. “Just keep trying to make noodles, over and over again—without actually flouring them and throwing them into a pot and expecting to eat anything. A lot of this is really the dexterity and knowing how to hold the two ends of the dough.”
Don’t Be Afraid.
If I’ve done my job, this should be a very forgiving dough. So don’t be discouraged if you can’t get the pulling motions quite right initially. If the dough tears (it shouldn’t), just roll it back up and try again. Don’t stress. If the noodles are uneven, try again. If one or two strands break as you’re pulling, don’t freak out. Remember: It’s just dough.
Go Forth and Pull.
At this point, the noodle masters of yore are likely rolling in their graves. Traditionalists out there will probably put me on full blast. “Lamian doesn’t have nooch! How dare you. That’s not authentic.”
Tradition was never the point. Exploration and understanding—they are worth far more. I could have just as easily told you to go out and smuggle in some penghui, knead your dough for hours, and make some authentic noodles. But this is a lamian recipe for home cooks. My goal was to develop a noodle dough that anyone could pull; a way to practice noodle pulling without resorting to prohibitive means or herculean efforts.
Just to make sure, I sent my recipe to Luke for him to try out. He emailed me back a couple days later with pictures and even a video of him pulling noodles. It took him ten minutes from mixing to eating—a personal record. “I’m kinda speechless...huge stamp of approval from me!”
No matter the method, making lamian is magic. It’s a perfect demonstration of the alchemy, and chemistry, of cooking. It embodies the excitement, the thrill, and the spirit of making something amazing out of the ordinary. Learning about the process has been equally enriching. So go out and make some lamian dough. Practice, pull, and practice again. Then you'll be ready to cook them up and slide them into a fragrant bowl of lamb soup. (Stay tuned for that recipe.)


(source : https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2020/04/hand-pulled-lamian-noodles)

Agustus 02, 2020