Print the recipe page!  everything chinese noodles

What a fun recipe!  You’re going to just love this one!  From Lauren Groveman’s Kitchen, these noodles are going to rock your Asian menus in salads, appetizers and main dishes.   Paired with her homemade Duck Sauce (I adapted it here to be pantry friendly) there’s just so many options you can take!

I tried this noodle recipe both fried and baked, both were great although (as with most things) the “fried” flavor and texture is hard for  taste buds to beat.  I’ll keep the fried version for special occasions/ “company is coming” (so I won’t eat the whole batch) and the baked version for everyday “no guilt” enjoyment.  As far as this being a food storage option, baking these is the best way to go (or possibly pan frying) since the deep frying requires way too much oil.

Lastly, I’d highly recommend you stop over and check out Lauren Groveman’s website!  First off, it’s free, which to find such a gem “free” is amazing.  She’s big into making things “homemade” {awesome…that’s what I want!} often using everyday pantry ingredients and even including cooking videos to teach the recipes.  Perfect for anyone trying to learn how to cook from scratch!

Ingredients:

“Everything” Chinese Noodles

2 cups flour

1 rounded tsp salt (*I added just a little more than that)

2 rounded TBS each, beige and black sesame seeds

1 rounded TBS (pan toasted) dehydrated minced onions, cooled and finely ground

a few grinds of black pepper

2/3 to 3/4 cup cool water

(*if frying) 2-3 quarts high temperature cooking oil (*she recommends flavorless vegetable oil or peanut oil.  I used sunflower oil.)

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Homemade Duck Sauce (adapted recipe)

1 cup peach or apricot preserves

4 1/2 TBS distilled white vinegar

1/8 – 1/4 tsp. ground ginger (start sparingly and taste for preference)

1 tsp. onion powder

1 TBS soy sauce

2 TBS water

1 generous tsp. sesame oil

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Tools needed:

a small grinder (*this is my own personal favorite, see notes for details)

Instructions:

*I’d strongly suggest watching Lauren’s video on how to make these noodles before starting.   Not only will you get some great tips on preparing the dough and rolling it out without  a pasta maker, but there are some important safety precautions she teaches in regards to deep frying.

 

Once again, a pasta maker cut the work in half so that’s the way I’m demonstrating it here.

 

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To make the Chinese noodles:

Dry toast the dehydrated minced onion by tossing in a hot, dry skillet, over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until golden but not burnt. Grind toasted onion until fine.

Whisk together the flour, salt, sesame seeds, ground dried onions, garlic, and pepper in a mixing bowl. While combining the ingredients, with your working hand, add only enough water to create a moist (not wet) shaggy mass of dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured wooden board and knead it, using a firm, brisk and deliberate push-fold-and-turn motion, until the dough is firm, smooth and elastic. If the dough ever feels sticky, add a little additional flour. Cover the dough with a clean, dry kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Grinding the toasted minced onion…

Mixing the dough

Setting up to fry, using a saucepan:

Pour in enough oil to half fill a wide, heavy-bottomed 8-quart saucepan and attach a deep-frying thermometer securely to the side of the pan. Don’t allow the mercury tip to touch the bottom. Heat the oil over medium-high heat, to 375oF. If using a frying basket, let it heat in the oil.

Pressing and Cutting the Noodles:

Working in quarters, flatten a portion of the dough into a smooth rectangular disc.  Begin feeding into the pasta maker (set at level one), folding and re-pressing until a smooth rectangle is pressed.  Increase pressing to level 4 and cut the dough strip in half.  Press each dough strip using level 5 and:

for wide noodles… roll up the dough (going away from you) into a loose jelly-roll.  With a sharp serrated knife, slice the roll into 1/4-inch slices. Lift each slice and let it unravel, draping it over the inside of your nonworking hand.

for thin noodles… pass the pressed dough through the pasta maker’s fettucini width attachment.

To make wider noodles:

To make thinner noodles:

Frying the Noodles:

When the oil reaches the desired temperature, carefully ease a single pile of raw noodles into the hot oil and immediately (and gently) stir and separate them, using a long two-pronged fork. The noodles will quickly “balloon up,” and little blisters will appear on their surfaces. Fry the noodles until they’re golden on the bottom, about 2 minutes, and then carefully turn them over with the long fork to fry on the other side, about 2 minutes more. When done, the noodles should be golden, light textured and perfectly crisp. Don’t let them get overly dark, or they can taste burnt. Using either the fry basket or a long-handled wire-mesh tool and transfer each batch of cooked noodles from the oil to the paper-lined rack. Shake to remove excess oil, and then transfer to prepared serving tray.

Shake any remaining oil from noodles and allow to drain on a paper towel.  Serve!

Baking the noodles:

Lay cut noodles on a greased baking tray.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, until lightly browned.  If noodles are overlapping they may have difficulty baking evenly.  In this case, flip the noodles over after baking 10 minutes and bake an additional 5 minutes.  You’re other option is to carefully lay the noodles on the pan before baking so that they aren’t touching each other.  If I were going to bake these in a sun oven I’d be more careful in the way I laid them on the pan so I wouldn’t have to open the oven door (for losing heat) to flip them.

First tray…

Second tray…

Baked and ready!

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Homemade Duck Sauce:

In a small saucepan, whisk together all ingredients except for the sesame oil.  Simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.  Stir in the sesame oil.  Remove the larger pieces of fruit and chop for desired texture.  Pour the sauce into a bowl and allow to cool.  As it cools it will thicken.  Serve.

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Notes:

• I just love my little grinder I found! I don’t know what my deal has been but I’ve gone through 3-4 other grinders and *hated* each of them.  This one has been great and so so easy to use!  Usually I use it to grind black pepper, but for this recipe, I was able to easily change out the pepper corns for toasted minced onion.  And it’s a cinch to grind, all you have to do is  move the handle on top back and fourth.  Here’s a link to where you can find one if you’re interested!

• Outside of snacking and Asian meals in general, I’m excited to try these noodles with one of our family’s favorites Hawaiian Haystacks.  Also, about the spice recipe , don’t you think it would be great used in homemade bread sticks or crackers??  Fun, fun — I love it when people with talented taste buds create adaptable recipes like this!