Learn how to make Xi'an hand-pulled long, flat, and wide wheat noodles. They are easier to make than you think and so delicious when you toss them in this simple savory, spicy, tangy, umami sauce.
Combine all-purpose flour, salt, and water. Stir with a chopstick at first into crumbly dough and then knead with your hand just to form a rough dough
Cover and let the dough rest for 20 minutes. This is a short autolyse process. We hydrate the flour and let it rests to let the enzyme starts the gluten formation process. It’s magical really!
Go back to knead the dough for about 1-2 minutes by hand and you will see the dough transform into a smooth dough (thanks to the autolyse)
Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Fold the edge of each dough into center and then put it on countertop, seam side down with your palm on top and roll it into a round ball. Repeat with the rest
Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for another 15 minutes. This is to relax the gluten (after all that rolling)
Roll the dough out into an oval shape, roughly about 6-7 inch in length. Then use a chopstick or a skewer to create an indentation in the middle. Repeat with the rest. Coat each dough with some oil and put on a plate. Cover and let them rest for 2 hours. It is important to let them rest this long
You can also rest them longer such as overnight in the fridge. Let them sit at room temperature for few hours before pulling
Pull and shape:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you start working on the dough. Work with one dough at a time. Hold the dough on each end and slowly pull it to about 10 inches or more and then slap the dough on the countertop several times as you continue to gently pull(you will hear the “biang biang” sounds, hence the name!). The slapping helps you to stretch the noodles
Then start from the middle and rip the noodle apart, following the indentation you made with the chopstick/skewers earlier. Now you have these belt-shaped noodles. Continue with the rest of the dough
Cook the noodles:
When the water comes to a boil, add the pulled noodles and stir a bit to prevent the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook for about 1 minute. Do not overcook them
Transfer the noodles to a large serving plate. Do not rinse with water as we want the sauce to cling to the noodles
Prepare the sauce:
Combine the soy sauce, black vinegar, chili powder, sugar, minced garlic, chopped scallion, and salt in a heat-proof bowl
Heat about 3 Tablespoons of oil until it is really hot. Carefully pour this hot oil over into the bowl with all the ingredients you prepare earlier. This really brings out the flavor of the sauce
To serve:
Pour this over the cooked biang biang noodles and toss to make sure the sauce coats the noodles evenly. Serve