Handmade Noodles

As a self-proclaimed noodle lover, handmade noodles are my absolute favorite! Premade noodles, instant noodles and pasta are great, but handmade noodles and handmade pasta are simply on a different level, especially in texture.

There are a couple handmade noodle shops in NJ and NYC's Chinatown that we like to go to, but sometimes if going out and having someone else make it for you isn't an option, then you gotta go homemade. And if you're like me, I get cravings for handmade noodles like an itch in the brain that needs to be attended to, right away. With this easy recipe, delicious handmade noodles are never out of reach.

I haven't yet ventured into the world of pasta making, but making Chinese noodles is super easy and only requires 2 ingredients, 3 if you want to add salt! Sometimes if I already know what sauce I am cooking the noodles with, I omit the salt because the sauce will coat and flavor the noodles just fine without the extra sodium. Plus, there are no extra additives or preservatives in these fresh homemade noodles—premade noodles that you buy at the market tend to have other ingredients in them to prolong their shelf life, so the homemade noodles are, in a way, "healthier"...

For the fresh noodles, you can either use All Purpose Flour, or you can try using Beksul Potato Starch for Dough Flakes, which I used and was extremely happy with because the texture of the noodles was so nice and chewy! I've used all purpose flour before too, so both work well. This potato starch is a Korean brand of flour that is usually used for making "dough flakes", which is a kind of hand torn noodle used in stews like Sujebi. These fresh noodles can be stored for about 1-2 days. Honestly never lasts more than a meal for us though cause we slurp that shit right up. 😃

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INGREDIENTS (2-3 servings):

• 2 and 2/3 cups All Purpose flour or Beksul Potato Starch for Dough Flakes
• 1 cup and 3 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp salt (optional)

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PREPARING THE DOUGH:

1. In a mixing bowl add the flour and slowly add water while mixing. If you have a stand mixer, this will help a lot and just mix on low for about 15 minutes, or until it forms a nice smooth ball of dough. If you are kneading by hand, mix the water and once it comes together in a ball, flour a clean surface and knead until smooth.
2. Once smooth, put it in a bowl and cover with cling wrap or a cloth to prevent the dough from drying out. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes, but the longer you wait, the easier the dough will be to work with.​

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KNIFE CUT NOODLES

1.  After the dough is rested, take the dough out onto a floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until about 1/16 inches thick. Add flour and fold in a "S" fashion, adding flour in between each layer. This is important because if you do not add enough flour in between, the dough will stick together when you cut it, and you'll need to reroll the dough and layer it again.​

1. Cut dough into desired thickness for noodles. Then "fluff" the noodles so that it forms stands and does not stick together. 
2. Prepare a pot of boiling water. Salt the water as desired, although not necessary if you have a robust sauce.
3. Boil the fresh noodles for 2-3 minutes or until it reaches desired texture. Be careful not to overboil the noodles.​

HAND PULLED NOODLES

1. If you don't want to cut the noodles, then you can opt to handpull them too! Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll into balls. On a floured surface, use the rolling pin to flatten them into 4 round sheets, about 0.2 inches thick. Then cover again with cling wrap and rest for another hour.
2. After the hour, take out 1 sheet and cut it into about 4-5 strips, depending on how thick you want the noodles. Pull the strip of dough with your hands as 1 long noodle (it's okay if it breaks) and drop it in the boiling water as you go. Boil for 2 minutes or until it reaches your desired texture. The thinner the noodle, the faster it cooks, so be sure not to overboil otherwise it may turn to mush!

1. Important: Remove the noodles with a strainer and run through cold water, use your hand or chopsticks to swish it around and thoroughly clean the noodles of any remaining starch to prevent it from feeling gooey or sticky. Once the noodles are rid of excess starch, it will feel "bouncy"! Drain and set aside for serving.​

You can either enjoy the noodles cold or you can add the noodles to a stir fry noodle dish, broth dish, or quickly heat the noodles in hot water prior to serving with sauce. We hope you enjoy!