Xi'an Cold Skinned Noodles ()

The ever popular Liangpi, Cold Skinned Noodles! This northwest classic is made from the starch extracted from the gluten making process, and is a favorite worldwide for a reason.

0:00 - Is homemade Liangpi worth it?
1:37 - High level overview
2:23 - Make the Dough
2:54 - Knead until Smooth
3:13 - Wash the Gluten
4:00 - (a quick rant)
4:28 - Let the starch sit 3 to 4 hours
5:03 - Mix the Gluten with yeast, rise
5:39 - Make chili oil and other toppings
7:58 - Steam the Liangpi
10:44 - Assemble
11:31 - Any way to streamline?

INGREDIENTS, LIANGPI & SEITAN

Makes two servings.

* AP Flour (/), 200g
* Salt, 2g (half tsp)
* Water, 120g

* Additional water (for rinsing the liangpi), ~4 cups
* Instant Yeast (), for the Seitan, 1/8 tsp

PROCESS, LIANGPI & SEITAN

Mix the flour with the salt and the water, press together to make a basic dough. Rest (autolyse) for 20 minutes.

Knead the dough you dont need to get it completely smooth, but you do want to develop some gluten, ~5 minutes. Rest for 20 minutes.

Wash the dough by kneading it underwater. Add about a cup water at a time, knead underwater for ~1-2 minutes or until the water becomes very milky. Strain, adding back any gluten bits, and continue the process cup at a time. Once the water begins to be no longer *overly* milky (roughly 60% of the original opacity), youre finished. Our dough needed ~4 cups.

Let the Liangpi batter settle for 3 to 4 hours. Do not rest for over four.

Knead the yeast into the gluten. Let that rest for a similar amount of time, then steam over a high flame for 8 minutes.

The Liangpi batter should be settled by now. Drain out the yellow-ish water on top, though you dont have to be overly paranoid getting every drop. Give it a good stir.

Generously oil a steaming sheet, then ladle enough batter on to thinly cover we used two ladles worth. Giggle to distribute, then place directly on simmering water. Swap the flame to high (make sure the water will boil rapidly) and cover. Steam for 1.5 minutes, or until large bubbles form on the liangpi.

Remove the steaming sheet and place it on a tray filled with cool water. Brush oil on the top of the liangpi sheet. Loosen the sides up with a spatula, then carefully pull the liangpi onto a chopping board with your fingers. Optionally scrape the tray with a bench scraper, then repeat the process with the rest of the batter.

OTHER COMPONENTS

For the chili oil:

* Oil, preferably Caiziyou, 80g
* Aromatics: onion, 1/4, sliced; ginger, 1 inch, smashed; garlic, 3 cloves, smashed
* Spices: star anise (), 2; fennel seed (), 1/2 tsp
* Kashmiri chili powder -or- Qinjiao chili powder -or- Gochugaru, 15g
* Dark Chinese vinegar (/), 1/2 tsp

Heat up the oil until it can lightly bubble around a pair of chopsticks. Add in the aromatics, and cook over a medium flame. After ~3 minutes, add in the spices. Continue to cook until the onion is golden brown, then strain.

Add back the oil to your wok, heat it up until ~180C. Pour it into your chili powder, quick mix, then add in the vinegar.

For the sesame sauce:

* Sesame paste (), 1 tbsp
* Water, ~5 tsp

Mix water in with the sesame sauce, 1 tsp at a time, until it reaches your desired thickness.

For the garlic water:

* Garlic, 3 cloves
* Salt, 1/2 tsp
* Hot, boiled water, 1/4 cup

Pound the garlic with the salt, then add the hot, boiled water. Mix well, set aside.

TO ASSEMBLE

Slice the Liangpi into cm noodles, and the steamed seitan into inch chunks. We will be using half of the liangpi and seitan for each bowl. Then add in:

* Garlic water from above, 1.5 tbsp
* Sesame sauce from above, 1 tbsp
* Julienned cucumber
* Salt, tsp
* MSG (), tsp
* Chili oil from above, at least tbsp
* Dark Chinese vinegar (/), tbsp
* Chopped cilantro

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Outro Music: by