Hand-Pulled Noodle Dough
Stretchy, elastic dough transformed into long strands through folding, slapping, and pulling.
Dietary
Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Dairy free, Nut free, Halal, Kosher
Allergens
Wheat
This basic dough relies on gluten development through resting and repeated stretching rather than a machine, yielding chewy, springy noodles once pulled by hand. It forms the base for Lanzhou-style beef noodle soup, stir-fried noodles, or simple noodle soups. Patience during the resting stages matters more than strength when pulling.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups water, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1/4 cup cornstarch, for dusting
Method
-
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
-
Gradually add the water while mixing with chopsticks or a fork until a rough, shaggy dough forms.
-
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead until smooth and firm, about 8 minutes.
-
Rub the dough all over with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, place it in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
-
Knead the rested dough again for 2 minutes until it feels smoother and more elastic.
-
Rub the dough with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, cover again, and rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature to fully relax the gluten.
-
Divide the rested dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion on a cornstarch-dusted surface into a long rope about 1 inch thick.
-
Take one rope and gently stretch it lengthwise, then fold it in half and twist slightly. Repeat stretching and folding 4 to 6 times, dusting with cornstarch as needed to prevent sticking.
-
Hold the folded dough at both ends and lift it, letting it hang and stretch under its own weight, then slap it firmly against the work surface. Repeat this slapping and stretching motion until the strand thins and elongates significantly.
-
Continue pulling and folding until the noodle strand reaches your desired thinness, then separate into individual noodles by pulling the ends apart.
-
Bring a 6-quart pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat.
-
Shake excess cornstarch from the pulled noodles and drop them into the boiling water. Cook until they float and turn tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
-
Drain the noodles and use immediately in soup or stir-fry preparations.
Rate this recipe
Hand-Pulled Noodle Dough
This basic dough relies on gluten development through resting and repeated stretching rather than a machine, yielding chewy, springy noodles once pulled by hand. It forms the base for Lanzhou-style beef noodle soup, stir-fried noodles, or simple noodle soups. Patience during the resting stages matters more than strength when pulling.
2 hr 30 min 4 servings 285 cal
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups water, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1/4 cup cornstarch, for dusting
Method
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
- 2
Gradually add the water while mixing with chopsticks or a fork until a rough, shaggy dough forms.
- 3
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead until smooth and firm, about 8 minutes.
- 4
Rub the dough all over with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, place it in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- 5
Knead the rested dough again for 2 minutes until it feels smoother and more elastic.
- 6
Rub the dough with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, cover again, and rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature to fully relax the gluten.
- 7
Divide the rested dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion on a cornstarch-dusted surface into a long rope about 1 inch thick.
- 8
Take one rope and gently stretch it lengthwise, then fold it in half and twist slightly. Repeat stretching and folding 4 to 6 times, dusting with cornstarch as needed to prevent sticking.
- 9
Hold the folded dough at both ends and lift it, letting it hang and stretch under its own weight, then slap it firmly against the work surface. Repeat this slapping and stretching motion until the strand thins and elongates significantly.
- 10
Continue pulling and folding until the noodle strand reaches your desired thinness, then separate into individual noodles by pulling the ends apart.
- 11
Bring a 6-quart pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat.
- 12
Shake excess cornstarch from the pulled noodles and drop them into the boiling water. Cook until they float and turn tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
- 13
Drain the noodles and use immediately in soup or stir-fry preparations.