Homemade Chinese Noodles From Scratch

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Make this most basic of Chinese noodles from scratch using just wheat flour and water in about 30 minutes. Involve the kids as it’s a great family-bonding activity and also great for their fine and gross motor skills.

Noodles were one of those things I took for granted growing up. Whether, dried, frozen, or fresh, it was always readily available. Never in a million years did I every consider making it at home. No one I knew did it. My family also gave me the misconception that I needed this elusive ingredient called “kansui” to make Asian noodles which I now know is lye water but as a littlt kid, I thought it was “soap water” because the Chinese word for lye and soap sound the same and so put me off from wanting to make noodles.

But a few years back, when visiting my sister in Beijing, I took my first noodle making class and was totally amazed that noodles could be made from just flour and water. Who would’ve thought! No soap water needed. Once cooked, the noodles were so smooth and paired so well with the sauces we made and I even loved that they were perfectly imperfect from my uneven cutting skills.

It took me years before I got around to recreating that simple noodle recipe. When I saw how much my kids enjoyed kneading and playing with playdough, I realized that noodle-making was a perfect activity for my kids.

Now, they are the driving force behind my continuing to make homemade noodles and finding more recipes for us to create as a family activity.

How to Make Simple Chinese Noodles From Scratch

You’ll need the following:

• 240 grams flour (2 cups)
• 3/4 cup to 1 cup water

• Rolling pin
• Knife
• Large mixing bowl
• Spoon or spatula or chopsticks
• Measuring cup or kitchen scale. I prefer a kitchen scale (I have this OXO one) because it makes for more consistent measuring as a cup of flour can range anywhere from 100 grams to 300 grams depending on how lightly or tightly packed the flour is.)

Step 1.   Mix the flour and water in a large mixing bowl.

Start with 1/2 cup of water and start mixing with a spoon, spatula, or chopstick. If after a minute, you notice that the flour has not completely formed a dough, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time and continue mixing / kneading until a soft dough forms. Aim to keep the dough on the drier side than too wet.

Step 2.   Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until very smooth.

You can do this in the bowl if it’s large enough or on a clean work surface. The dough should not stick to your hands or the work surface, if it does, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough isn’t sticky. When it’s nice and smooth, pat it into a ball.

Step 3.   Rest the dough for at least 15 minutes

Wrap the dough in either plastic wrap or place it in a bowl covered with a damp towel so the dough does not dry out.

Resting allows the gluten in the dough to relax and makes it easier for you to roll out.

Step 4.   Roll and cut the dough. 

Sprinkle a little bit of flour on a clean work surface. Take half of the dough (return the other half to the covered bowl or re-wrap in plastic) and start rolling it flat and thin with a rolling pin (we bought a rolling pin at our cooking class as well as this similar one from Amazon).

Sprinkle and spread flour on each side of the dough if it starts to stick.

When the dough is rolled thin enough – we like ours about 1/8″ thick (3 mm) – sprinkle both sides of the dough liberally with flour.

Now gently fold the dough into layers for cutting. You can fold in thirds (like a letter) or if your dough is very long then you can layer into an “S” shape by rolling the dough onto your rolling pin and then unroll it back and forth into continuous “S” shapes.

Cut the noodles to your desired size keeping in mind that the noodles will double in size when cooked. Again, we like ours about 1/8″ (3 mm) thin.

Sprinkle the cut noodles with flour and gently jiggle and shake them about so that they unfold into long beautiful strands.

Step 5.   Cook the noodles.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and then add the noodles. Lower heat to simmer and swirl the noodles around with a heat-proof utensil. Cook noodles about 3 minutes and give it a taste to see if the noodles are soft and ready. If not, simmer for another minute and taste-test again. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water to rid any excess flour and so that they don’t stick together.

Serve immediately with soup or sauce. You can also store them in the fridge (covered) for a few days or freeze them. Do not defrost when ready to use or they will get gummy. Just reheat the directly in the sauce or soup.

Enjoy your rustic, homemade noodles and be sure to involve the kids. They love mixing, rolling, kneading, and especially the eating part!

My son, Wee Scotch, is 7 and is always keen to help. He takes the task very seriously and is meticulous in his rolling, flouring and cutting.

Li’L Ginger is 3 and sees it as an edible playdough activity. We give her small pieces of dough to roll with her tiny rolling pin and she usually just mimics what her big brother is doing. The children are often covered in flour as their  hands inevitably rub their little noses or scratch their heads.

The pride on their faces as they eat their own creations just floods me with endless joy. They like to think they can identify which strand of noodles were theirs and I play along and pretend that I can identify them too.

Once you have cooked your noodles, use it immediately in your favorite sauce or soup or try it with some of my favorite recipes like my Vietnamese Chicken Curry Soup or my Stir-Fried Crabs with Ginger and Scallions.

Enjoy!

If you’ve mastered this recipe, then check out my tutorials for making Ramen Noodles (the easy way) and for making silky-smooth slurp-worthy Udon Noodles (using a non-traditional ingredient).

Homemade Chinese Noodles From Scratch

Ginger and Scotch

Make this simple Chinese noodle from scratch using just flour and water in about 30 minutes. Involve the kids as it's a great family-bonding activity and also great for their fine and gross motor skills.

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Noodles

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 4 people

Calories 227 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g, 8.5 oz)
• 3/4 - 1 cup water

Instructions

 

• Mix the flour and water in a large mixing bowl: Start with 1/2 cup of water and start mixing with a spoon, spatula, or chopstick. If after a minute, you notice that the flour has not completely formed a dough, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time and continue mixing / kneading until a soft dough forms. Aim to keep the dough on the drier side than too wet.
• Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until very smooth: You can do this in the bowl if it’s large enough or on a clean work surface. The dough should not stick to your hands or the work surface, if it does, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough isn’t sticky. When it’s nice and smooth, pat it into a ball.
• Rest the dough for at least 15 minutes: Wrap the dough in either plastic wrap or place it in a bowl covered with a damp towel so the dough does not dry out. Resting allows the gluten in the dough to relax and makes it easier for you to roll out.
• Roll the dough: Sprinkle a little bit of flour on a clean work surface. Take half of the dough (return the other half to the covered bowl or re-wrap in plastic) and start rolling it flat and thin with a rolling pin. Sprinkle and spread flour on each side of the dough if it starts to stick. When the dough is rolled thin enough – we like ours about 1/8? thick (3 mm) – sprinkle both sides of the dough liberally with flour. 

  Now gently fold the dough into layers for cutting. You can fold in thirds (like a letter) or if your dough is very long then you can layer into an “S” shape by rolling the dough onto your rolling pin and then unroll it back and forth into continuous “S” shapes.
• Cut the noodles: Using a sharp knife (or a dough scraper for kids), cut your layered dough to your desired size keeping in mind that the noodles will double in size when cooked. Again, we like ours about 1/8? (3 mm) thin. Sprinkle the cut noodles with flour and gently jiggle and shake them about so that they unfold into long beautiful strands.
• Cook the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to boil and then add the noodles. Lower heat to simmer and swirl the noodles around with a heat-proof utensil. Cook noodles about 3 minutes and give it a taste to see if the noodles are soft and ready. If not, simmer for another minute and taste-test again. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water to rid any excess flour and so that they don’t stick together.
  
• Serve immediately with soup or sauce: You can also store them in the fridge (covered) for a few days or freeze them. Do not defrost when ready to use or they will get gummy. Just reheat the directly in the sauce or soup.

Keyword Chinese noodles, noodles, noodles from scratch, wheat noodles

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