HAND-PULLED NOODLES (LA MIAN, 拉面), A FOOLPROOF RECIPE (part 1)

HAND-PULLED NOODLES (LA MIAN, 拉面), A FOOLPROOF RECIPE (part 1)

By Wei.
A complete guide to Chinese hand-pulled noodles. Techniques explained in detail and two shapes introduced. Following this recipe, everyone can make them with ease!

Hand-pulled noodles, known as Lā Miàn/拉面, Lā Tiáo Zi/拉条子 or Chě Miàn/扯面, is a recipe that I’ve been meaning to share for a long time. Growing up in Gansu province, China where it’s a common dish in restaurants and households, I learned the technique through observing my parents’ cooking. I enjoy the pleasure of both making and eating them.

WHAT ARE HAND-PULLED NOODLES.
As its name suggests, hand-pulled noodles are formed by pulling wheat flour dough by hand into long, elastic strips. Compared to hand-cut and machine-made noodles, they usually have a more silky, springy and chewy texture. They are always served super fresh as the pulling and cooking process happens at the same time.

WHAT ARE THEY MADE OF?
Hand-pulled noodles contain three basic ingredients: wheat flour, salt and water. In some cases, an alkaline agent is added to the dough to make the noodles more springy.

TWO TYPES OF HAND-PULLED NOODLES.

THE PROFESSIONAL VERSION.
One serving of noodles are pulled from one single piece of dough by folding multiple times. Lanzhou Beef Noodle Soup/兰州牛肉面 (aka Lanzhou Lā Miàn, 兰州拉面), the classic dish of my hometown, showcases this amazing culinary art of noodle making. The use of an alkaline agent (Péng Huī/蓬灰 in this case) makes the dough super flexible and stretchy.
If you haven’t seen how they are made, I suggest you take a look at a noodle pulling video I took on one of my Culinary Tours of China. My tour participants were very lucky to have the chance to visit the back kitchen and communicate with the chefs. On my next tours, we will go one step further to put our hands on the dough and learn from professional noodle masters.

THE EASY HOME VERSION.
My recipe introduces another type of hand-pulled noodles: the dough is firstly cut into strips then pulled one by one into long noodles. The popular Xi’an Biang Biang Noodles are made this way.
Compared to the professional method, this technique is much easier to master. Although simple to make, I’d like to explain in detail every aspect of this dish. I hope my complete guide will help you, including kitchen novices, to have a fail-proof experience learning this cooking skill.

THE BASIC WORKFLOW.
Before we get down to the detailed explanations, let me first outline the procedures for making hand-pulled noodles.
Make a smooth, fairly firm dough using flour, salt & water.
Divide then flatten the dough. Coat with oil then leave to rest.
Bring a pot of water to boil. Cut the dough pieces into strips.
Pull the strips into long noodles one at a time. Drop into the water.
Cook for 1-2 minutes then dish out.

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT DOUGH.
The dough for hand-pulled noodles involves three basic ingredients: wheat flour, water and a little salt. The finished dough should be soft, smooth and elastic thus can be easily pulled into the desired shapes without breaking. Paying attention to the following rules, everyone can make perfect dough with ease.

USE ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR WITH MEDIUM GLUTEN.
Flour with a medium level of gluten works the best for hand-pulled noodles. That is to say that the protein content should be 10-11g per 100g flour. All-purpose flour (aka plain white flour) sold in the US and the UK falls into this range.
However, the gluten level of all-purpose flour varies among countries. Check the nutrition label on the package to learn the protein content.
Flour high in gluten (above 13g protein per 100g flour), such as very strong bread flour, can be used for this recipe but it’s harder to work on. Due to its strong, super elastic gluten, the dough tends to shrink back and breaks more easily when pulled.
NB: Wholemeal flour/gluten-free flour is not suitable for making hand-pulled noodles.

THE FLOUR-WATER RATIO IS 2:1 BY WEIGHT.
To ensure a fail-proof experience, I recommend you measure flour by weight as it’s much more accurate than measuring with a cup.
The flour-water ratio is 2:1 by weight. In my recipe, I add 125g/ml water to 250g flour to make a dough for 2 servings.
You might need to slightly adjust the water volume as flour of different brands absorbs water differently. The initial dough (before resting) should be smooth but quite firm. You wouldn’t need to dust the work surface with flour when kneading/rolling.

ADD A LITTLE SALT TO THE DOUGH.
Just like my parents always do, I add a little salt to the dough for hand-pulled noodles. This is to make cooked noodles more “Jīn Dào, 筋道” meaning “Al Dente”.
In “On Food and Cooking”, scientist Harold Mcgee explains the purpose of adding salt to noodles: “It tightens the gluten network and stabilizes the starch granules, keeping them intact even as they absorb water and swell.”

COAT THE DOUGH WITH OIL THOROUGHLY.
After the dough has been formed, you need to do the following before leaving it to rest:
Cut the dough into sections. If you are making 2 servings, then cut it into two pieces.
With a rolling pin, flatten each piece to about 1/2 cm in thickness.
Coat each piece with cooking oil thoroughly (both sides). Place them one on top of another in a tray. Cover with clingfilm.
Coating with oil is a crucial procedure. It prevents the dough pieces from sticking to each other. It also helps the final noodles to gain a smooth, silky look.
Some people coat the dough with flour instead. This also works but the cooked noodles tend to have a rougher appearance and a stickier texture on the surface.

ALLOW ENOUGH TIME TO REST THE DOUGH.
When it comes to dough preparation, resting is very important and can not be skipped. As I mentioned above, the initially formed dough is quite firm. Over time, the elasticity of the dough relaxes. It becomes softer and more malleable. This process makes noodle pulling so much easier!
I recommend you rest the flattened dough pieces for at least 1.5 hours. If you prepare the dough in advance and pull it the next day, you can store it in the fridge. But, remember to allow it to come back to room temperature before you start working on it.

HOW TO PULL THE NOODLES.
Here comes the most exciting part (probably the most intimidating too): Pull the noodles with your hands. Unlike the master chefs in Lanzhou beef noodle restaurants, Chinese home cooks, like my parents, pull their noodles one strip at a time. My foolproof recipe uses the same method.
First of all, you need to cut the flattened dough pieces into strips. Be gentle when you transfer them onto the work surface as they’ve become very soft after resting. Try to retain their shape and do not pinch or pull (yet!).

ROUND OR FLAT? CHOOSE THE NOODLE SIZE.
Do you have a preference for the shape of the noodles? Round, thin ones or flat wide ones? I love both. So my recipe includes two ways of shaping the noodles. Give both a try to see what works and tastes better for you.

Round, thin noodles: Cut the flatten dough into thin strips, about 1 cm wide.
Flat, wide noodles: Cut the flatten dough into wide strips, about 3 cm wide.

NOODLE PULLING TECHNIQUE.

Pick up one strip of dough by holding each end gently.
Pull towards opposite directions. The movement should be smooth and consistent..
As your arms move apart, bounce the noodle against the worktop to help it stretch further. Fold the noodle and repeat the movement.

AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD.
If you find the technique above difficult to master, try the alternative method: Over a pot of boiling water, hold one end of a strip of dough and pull the other end towards the water. Drop the pulled part into the water and continue pulling the remaining part (Please refer to the video).

HOW TO COOK THE NOODLES.
Compared to other types of noodles, the dough for hand-pulled noodles has a very high water content thus it’s very soft, easy to stick and can be cooked through fairly quickly. When cooking them, you need to take this characteristic into account. Here are some general rules to follow:

COOK ONE SERVING AT A TIME.
Pulling and cooking happen at the same time. Drop one pulled noodle straight into the boiling water then work on the next one. Stop when you finish all the dough strips for one serving.

DO NOT OVERCOOK.
It takes quite a short time to cook hand-pulled noodles. If making round, narrow ones, leave to cook for 1 minute. If making flat, wide ones, leave to cook for 2 minutes. Do not overcook. Perfectly cooked noodles should be smooth, silky in appearance and quite chewy in texture.

(source : https://redhousespice.com/hand-pulled-noodles/)

Agustus 02, 2020

how to make frito pie

How to Make Frito Pie.

Frito pies were invented by the Texas-based Frito Corporation, but adored throughout the Southwestern US. You can use your favorite chili recipe, or take this example of a classic Texas red chili.





Ingredients.

Baked Frito Pie or Walking Tacos.

3 cups Frito chips (one large bag, or one small bag per person).

½ yellow onion, diced.

1 cup (240 mL) sour cream.

1 cup grated cheddar cheese.

1 16-oz (450g) can chili (or homemade chili, below).

1 fresh tomato, diced or ½ can diced tomato (optional).

⅓ head lettuce, shredded (optional).

Texas Red Chili.

3 dried chipotle chili peppers.

4 dried ancho chili peppers.

2 pounds (0.9 kg) ground chuck.

1 yellow onion, diced.

2.5 cups (950 mL) chicken or beef stock.

12 oz (350 mL) beer.

1 tbsp (15 mL) cumin.

1.5 tbsp (22 mL) corn flour (masa).

pepper and salt.







Method 1. Easy Baked Frito Pie.



1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Now's a good time to dice the onions, while you wait.



2. Spread most of the Fritos in a baking dish. Use ⅔ of the Fritos, or enough to cover the whole pan. Save the rest for the topping.



3. Cover with chili. You can use any kind of canned chili, or make your own using the recipe below.

Optionally, add diced tomatoes, canned or fresh.



4. Bake for 15 minutes. Once your oven is preheated, put the casserole dish in the oven. Leave it for about fifteen minutes, until the chili is hot.

For an even easier recipe, add all the ingredients on top of the chili and bake in one sitting.



5. Top with other ingredients. Spread a layer of sour cream over the chili with a spoon. Top with the diced onion, the rest of the Fritos, and the grated cheese. The Fritos on top will stay much crunchier than the Fritos at the bottom of the pan.

Optionally, sprinkle the sour cream layer with shredded lettuce for a fresher taste.



6. Bake for another five minutes. Return to the oven and bake a few minutes longer, until the cheese is melted. Serve hot.







Method 2. Walking Tacos.



1. Heat chili on the stove. Pour the can of chili into a pan over medium heat. Cover and let warm, stirring occasionally.

You can make homemade chili instead, or use the recipe below.

For more flavor, add diced tomatoes and/or canned beans if the canned chili does not include them. Most Texan chili skips both of these ingredients.



2. Slit open the side of each Frito bag. A "walking taco" is a Frito pie served in the Frito bag instead of a bowl. Each person gets one Frito bag. Cut each bag open along the side instead of the top to make a larger opening.



3. Spoon chili and cheese into each bag. Spoon the chili directly into the Frito bag, then top with melted cheese. You can leave this as is to keep the chips crunchy, or stir it together for a delicious mess.

Diced onions and sour cream are optional toppings.

If you want room for more chili, crush some of the chips first by squeezing the bag.







Method 3. Texas Red Chili.



1. Cut and toast the dried chili peppers. Slice open the peppers and remove the seeds, stem, and white inner flesh. Heat a dry skillet and toast the peppers for about 30 seconds on each side, until dark spots begin to appear. You can skip this step and use chili powder instead, but whole dried chili peppers give a much better flavor.

Do not touch your eyes until you've washed your hands thoroughly. Wear gloves if you have sensitive skin.

If you like extra-spicy, chili, set aside some of the seeds and add them once the chili is cooking.



2. Soak the peppers in hot water. Submerge in 1 cup (240 mL) of hot water, not boiling water, for 5–10 minutes. Puree the peppers and water in a blender and set them aside for now.

If you think you'll use them again, you can make a large batch in advance. For maximum flavor, soak for 30 minutes and simmer in oil, covered, for another 20 minutes.



3. Brown ground chuck in a large frying pan. Add the beef to a hot frying pan and cook until brown. Stir occasionally and break it into even-sized pieces with a wooden spoon. For best results, brown in small batches, so most of the beef can touch the pan surface. This will take a few minutes per batch.

Use a nonstick pan, or nonstick cooking spray.



4. Cook the onions until translucent. Add the diced onions to the hot pan and cook until translucent, about five minutes.



5. Combine chili ingredients in a large saucepan. Combine chili pepper puree, beef, and onions in a large pot. The larger and heavier the pot, the better the meat texture will be. Add the chicken or beef stock, beer, cumin, a grind of pepper, and several pinches of salt.

If food has stuck to the frying pan, deglaze it with some of the stock and add it to the chili.

Red ale or stout is a good choice. Replace with more stock for a nonalcoholic version; otherwise, about 25% of the alcohol will remain.



6. Simmer until the meat is tender. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered until the meat is tender and the chili is thick, 45–60 minutes. Stir occasionally.

For extra flavor, instead cover with a slightly ajar lid and cook for up to 3 hours.



7. Mix in corn flour paste (optional). This makes a thicker, less greasy chili. Add the corn flour to a bowl and spoon in some of the chili broth. Stir until it forms a paste, then pour it into the chili. Stir until thoroughly combined.



8. Adjust spices and serve. Taste the chili. Add more salt, pepper, or cumin if desired. Let it sit off the heat to absorb more flavor and cool enough to eat. Serve with Fritos and grated cheese.

Squeeze a lime over it for extra flavor.

For sweet chili, stir in 1 tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar and 1 tbsp (15 mL) white vinegar, then let simmer another ten minutes.



9. Finished.





Tips.

Add spices or other ingredients to customize the recipe, or follow a different chili recipe.

You can use any type of chili pepper you like. For best results, combine two or more peppers with different flavors. Try a smoky chipotle or guajillo with a fruity ancho or pasillo, and an extra-hot pequin or arbol.



Warnings.

In the UK and some other regions, corn starch is sold as "cornflour." You need actual flour made from corn for this recipe.

November 21, 2019