I was channeling a dong bei noodle master’s energy this afternoon because I was overcome with the spirit to make some noodles. For the dough, I winged it, but it’s roughly:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 tsp salt
I stirred the salt into the warm water till it dissolved, then slowly poured it into my mountain of flour, kneading it as I went. When most of the water was incorporated, I started to really knead the dough. It was a nice mid-afternoon stress release. I highly recommend it as a break from work. After kneading for about 10 minutes, the dough should be mostly smooth. Stick it in a ziplock bag and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
When you’re ready to cut the noodles, generously flour a flat surface and your rolling pin. Cut the mound of dough in two and work with one half at a time. I did a combination of rolling flat and folding to get the noodles thin enough. When they got to my preferred thinness, I rolled it into a tube and sliced it into noodles. Sprinkle the noodles with flour, toss them a little, and set them aside while the water boils.
The broth for this noodle soup was made from a mishmash of leftovers in the fridge: baby bok choy, wood ear mushroom, dried shiitake, leeks, and some preserved bamboo shoots. After adding a sprinkling of white pepper at the end, it turned out to be a tasty broth that wasn’t so strong it overpowered my freshly made noodles.
The noodles were a cinch to cook since they were fresh. I don’t think it took longer than 5 minutes for them to fully cook in boiling water.
Not bad for a last-minute, gotta-clear-the-fridge meal.

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