Chinese Cold Noodle Skins Recipe

Cooking Directions

• STEP 1.In a large mixing bowl add 400 gms all purpose flour and 1 tsp salt. Whisk it together.
• STEP 2.Slowly pour in 220ml water and mix with chopsticks till flour comes together. Then continue to knead by hand. The dough does not need to be smooth at this stage. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.
• STEP 3.After 30 min knead the dough till smooth. Cover it and let it rest for 2 hours.
• STEP 4.Fill a large vessel with water, put the rested dough in the water and begin to rub and squeeze the dough. The water will start getting cloudy.
• STEP 5.After 10 minutes of continuously washing the dough, it will reduce in quantity and look porous. This is because all the starch will have washed out into the water leaving only pure wheat gluten.It will be spongy.
• STEP 6.When washed under running water the water will be clear.
• STEP 7.Spread it out on a plate and place it in a steamer. Keep the steamer slightly open by placing a chopstick between the lid and the pot.
• STEP 8.Steam on high heat for 25 minutes.
• STEP 9.Take it out of the steamer and cut into small cubes. This will be used as the topping.
• STEP 10. Stir the starch water in the large vessel and strain it through a sieve into another vessel. Do this twice.
• STEP 11. Cover and leave this water overnight in the fridge or for at least 6 hours. When taming the bowl out, do not shake it. After 12 hours all the starch will have settled on the bottom.
• STEP 12. Gently pour out the top layer of water into a bowl.
• STEP 13. Now using a whisk loosen the hard starch layer at the bottom of the vessel. It should be mixed and dissolved in the little water left in the vessel. If the resulting batter is too thick add a little of the strained water, till the batter is of the right pouring consistency- not watery but not thick.
• STEP 14. Grease the bottom of a baking pan by brushing a thin layer of oil on it.
• STEP 15. Stir the starch water thoroughly before spooning it into the pan. For an 8 inch diameter pan, about 90 to 100 gms of starch batter will be required to cover the bottom.
• STEP 16. Place the baking pan in a pot of boiling water to steam covered on high heat for 3 minutes.
• STEP 17. When the lid is removed, the baking pan will have large bubbles, which indicate that it is ready to be taken out.
• STEP 18. Place it in a vessel of ice water to cool down.
• STEP 19. Brush some oil on the surface of the noodle skin to prevent it from drying out and from sticking together.
• STEP 20. Using a knife,pry the edge of the noodle skin off the pan and gently pull it off the pan using both hands, so that it does not tear.
• STEP 21. The noodle skin will be shiny and almost transparent.
• STEP 22. Repeat this steaming process till all the batter has been used.
• STEP 23. Stack the noodle skins on a cutting board as they come off the pan. Then grease a knife and cut the stack of noodle skins into ribbons.
• STEP 24. Separate the noodles by hand.
• STEP 25. For the toppings, Boil water in a large pot and add 1 cup bean sprouts. Blanch them in the boil water for 10 seconds then remove and drain. Set aside.
• STEP 26. In a small mixing bowl make garlic water by adding 1 ½ tbsp ground garlic, 1 tsp salt. Smash and mix them together till well combined. Add ½ cup of water and mix well.
• STEP 27. In a soup plate, place the cold noodle skin, add 2 tbsp garlic water, 2 tsp black vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp red chilli oil, a few pieces of steamed gluten, a handful of coriander leaves, a handful of blanched bean sprouts anda handful of cucumber pieces.
• STEP 28. Chinese cold noodles skin is ready.

Special Comments

• STEP 1.. Garlic water can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for months.