Liangpi cold noodles from Xi'an

Ingredients

• 400 g T55 wheat flour
• 2 l cold water
• 10 g fine salt
• 2 g active dry yeast
• 20 ml canola oil
• 240 g fresh cucumber
• 240 g fresh mung bean sprouts
• 4 cloves fresh garlic
• 160 ml water for the garlic sauce
• 80 ml Chinese Chinkiang black vinegar
• 40 ml Chinese light soy sauce
• 48 g Chinese sesame paste
• 12 ml toasted sesame oil
• 80 ml Chinese chili oil for liangpi

Method

1. Mix the flour with half the salt. Gradually add just enough cold water to form a firm, smooth, and non-sticky dough. Knead until the surface is smooth, cover, and let rest for at least half an hour.
2. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Press, stretch, and knead the dough underwater: the water will turn milky white as the starch releases. Pour this starchy water into a second container.
3. Repeat the washing process with clean water, without discarding any starchy water. Continue until the washing water is almost clear and all that remains in your hands is a beige, elastic, and rubbery mass: the gluten.
4. Combine all the starchy water in a deep container. Cover and let rest for several hours, ideally overnight in the refrigerator, without moving the container so the starch settles completely at the bottom.
5. Incorporate the active dry yeast into the washed gluten, cover, and let rest. Next, place the gluten in a small oiled dish and steam it until puffed, firm, and airy throughout. Let it cool, then cut into small irregular cubes.
6. Very carefully pour off the clear water floating above the settled starch. Keep the dense white deposit, then stir it thoroughly from the bottom until it forms a perfectly smooth liquid batter, similar to heavy cream.
7. Bring water to a rolling boil in a wok or large lidded pot. Very lightly oil a shallow, round metal tray. Pour a ladle of the starchy batter into it, then immediately tilt the tray to form an even layer about two millimeters thick.
8. Place the tray over the boiling water, cover, and cook over high steam. The sheet is ready when it turns translucent, pulls away from the edges, and forms a large bubble on its surface.
9. Briefly set the bottom of the tray in cold water. Carefully peel off the sheet without tearing it, brush the surface with a light coating of canola oil, and transfer to a plate. Repeat until all the batter is used, oiling each sheet to prevent the layers from sticking.
10. Once the sheets are completely cool, stack them without pressing down and cut them into wide, even ribbons. Gently separate them with your fingers to preserve their softness.
11. Briefly blanch the mung bean sprouts in boiling water: they should remain crisp. Immediately refresh them in cold water and drain thoroughly. Cut the cucumber into a fine julienne.
12. Crush the garlic with the remaining salt into a paste. Thin it out with the reserved water for the sauce and let steep for a few minutes.
13. Thin the sesame paste with a little of the garlic sauce until smooth. Add the black vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil, then mix without trying to emulsify completely.
14. Divide the liangpi ribbons into cold bowls. Add the steamed gluten cubes, cucumber, and mung bean sprouts. Drizzle with the garlic and vinegar sauce, then finish generously with the chili oil.
15. Vigorously mix each portion right before eating to coat the ribbons without breaking them. Serve immediately, cool but not ice cold.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

719.7 kcal

Protein

16.25 g

Carbohydrate

83.4 g

Fat

35.77 g

Fibre

6.64 g

Calcium

39.73 mg

Iron

1.36 mg

Magnesium

47.02 mg