Chinese Hand Pulled Noodles

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There are certain skills that go so far in the kitchen. From learning how to properly chop an Onion, to peeling Garlic, to mastering the art of Deep Frying. Well, we present to you another skill that once learnt, will completely upgrade your cooking at home. We’re talking about making your very own Chinese Hand Pulled Noodles at home!

What is still very much a spectacle for many window gazers in Chinatowns across the world can be easily replicated at home. You only need 4 ingredients and a little bit of practice, and you’ll be whacking that stretchy dough on your kitchen bench in no time! Hand Pulling Noodles is a fantastic skill to learn, the Noodles taste amazing, and it will ensure you can produce amazing tasting Noodles that cost nothing whenever you want!

The texture of the hand pulled noodles is truly unique. They have a lovely chewiness to them, which adds a beautiful texture when being eaten. They soak up sauces exceptionally well, whether you’re looking to pair them with thick or thin sauces, or even soups, they are a great Noodle to eat for so many different types of cuisine

How to make Chinese Hand Pulled Noodles at home

Like many dough recipes, making your own hand pulled noodles is super simple. Combine the Water, Flour, and Salt together in a bowl and knead until you’ve formed a tight dough. Refrigerate the dough to allow it time to rest and relax

We then roll the dough out and cut it into strips. It goes back into the refrigerator for a second rest, along with a generous application of Vegetable Oil to prevent the dough from drying out. When it’s time to make the Noodles, bring out as much as you need, roll it out again and then it’s time for the fun to commence!

The Art of Hand Pulling Noodles is quite simple to master, you just need to be shown how!

The key to Hand Pulling Noodles is to keep a continuous motion when you’re stretching the dough by hand. No hesitation is allowed! Slowly pick up each end of the rolled-out dough and slowly stretch the two ends apart. Keep doing so until a long strand forms, then start whacking it on the bench! Keep stretching as far as you can to make beautifully thin Noodles

We then rip the noodles right down the middle (with the aid of an indentation we made in the dough before the stretching begins) and immediately boil them for 2 – 3 minutes until cooked. It’s an easy process, it just requires a bit of practice

The best way to learn how to master the art of Chinese Hand Pulled Noodles

Writing a description on a food blog such as this on the methods to Hand Pull Noodles will only work so far. We highly recommend you read our description below and then take a little bit of time to watch a couple of videos on YouTube from the experts

We recommend watching this video from the CEO of Xi’an Famous Foods in NYC who popularized this dish in the USA. He shows the methods in a simple and easy to follow manner. We recommend checking it out if you’re a little unsure on the method

Once you get the hand of the hand pulling method for Noodles it’s really easy, and so much fun to do! You can always make a back-up batch of Noodles if you like for testing. We recommend getting the family involved too, trust us it’s so much fun!

Chinese Hand Pulled Noodles are often referred to as ‘Biang-Biang Noodles’, and here’s why

The traditional name for these noodles is called ‘Biang-Biang Noodles’, and word has it this is because of the sound the noodles make when they are slapped against the bench when being stretched. The sound makes a ‘Bang-Bang’ or ‘Biang-Biang’ sound, which is where they got their name!

One could also make the point that the name is inspired by the spicy sauces that these Noodles are traditionally paired with, as is the case with our delicious Spicy Cumin Lamb Noodles (recipe coming soon!) The dish is packed full of heat care of Szechuan Peppercorns and Chili Oil. The dish packs a punch of heat, so for any spice fiends we highly recommend checking the recipe out

Only use what you need, and keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for later use

This recipe will produce enough Chinese Hand Pulled Noodles to easily feed 4 – 6 people. If you’re cooking up a big batch for a hungry group of diners then the quantity will be perfect. If you’re only cooking for 2 people you’ll only need half the Noodles in total

The great news is given that the Noodles are individually cut into portions before their final rest, you can keep the portions you don’t need in the refrigerator. The portions will stay good to eat for about 3 days after being prepared. This is great, as you can keep the Noodles fresh in the refrigerator and prepare many different applications for the Noodles while they’re still at their best

Chinese Hand Pulled Noodles Recipe

Ingredients

• 400g All Purpose Flour
• 220ml Water
• ½ tsp. Salt
• 1 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
  
  

Instructions

1. Add the Water and Salt into a large Bowl and mix to combine. Then add the flour, approximately 100g at a time while mixing through as you go
2. Once all the Flour has been added, continue to mix until you can form a ball and no dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl. This should take about 2-3 minutes. If the dough is too dry you can always add a little more water
3. Cover the dough with cling film and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Once rested, remove the dough from the refrigerator and knead again for 2 – 3 minutes
   
   

Rolling out and cutting the dough

4. Roll out the dough to form a rectangle that is approximately ½ inch high, and then cut the dough into strips along the longer part of the dough. The thickness of the strips you cut depends on how thick you want your noodles. For Thick noodles, cut them about 1-inch apart. For thinner noodles, about ½ or even ¼ an inch thick
5. Brush the dough on both sides with a generous amount of Vegetable Oil and then place on a plate. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before you are ready to cook
   
   

Hand Pulling the Noodles

6. Place the individual strip of dough on a wide, flat surface and roll out so it approximately doubles in surface size, forming a long rectangle. Place an indentation down the middle of the dough (lengthways) with a chopstick or similar device
7. Pick up both ends of the dough with your hands and begin to stretch the dough, while gradually shaking your wrists up and down to allow the dough to stretch and ‘bounce’. Continue this process until the dough is stretched enough to bounce on the surface
8. Bounce the dough on the surface a few times as you continue to stretch until the dough is fully stretched out. It will be quite large, about the length of your fully stretched out arms. You want to stretch the dough as thin as it can get without breaking
9. One stretched, lay the dough back on the bench and then begin to tear the noodles in half, following the indentation you made before stretching. The noodles with follow that indentation and tear into two, evenly thick strands of long Noodle
   
   

10. Place the Noodles into boiling water and cook for 2 – 3 minutes. Once the Noodles flout to the surface they’re pretty much done, so after 2 minutes if they’re floating, you can strain them and serve immediately with your favorite toppings and sauces

Recipe Notes

• The dough can stay in the refrigerator for about 3 days before it is used. So, you don’t need to use all the dough at once. Just keep it covered in cling film until you’re ready to use
• We recommend checking out some videos on YouTube to learn the skill of hand pulling noodles. Once you’ve tried it a couple of times it’s easy to master. Videos help with seeing how it’s done. We recommend this video as a great one to learn off
  
  

We hope you’re having fun making your very own Homemade Chinese Hand Pulled Noodles by following this recipe! Here are a few more of our favorite recipes that are super fun to make at home, why not check them out?:

• Air Fryer Chicken Spring Rolls
• Teriyaki Chicken Skewers with Scallions
• Bacon Wrapped Asparagus with Hollandaise
• Cheesy Air Fryer Mac and Cheese Bites
  
  

Happy Cooking!