Hot Oil Biang Biang Noodles (油泼面)
Biang biang noodles, one of Xi'an’s most famous exports, are known for their thick, chewy texture and the iconic "biang" sound made as the dough slaps against the counter during the hand-pulling process. These wheat noodles, stretched by hand, are boiled for just two minutes before being dressed with flavourful toppings and fresh aromatics.
While they might seem tricky to make, they’re surprisingly simple. The key is patience – you'll need time to knead and rest the dough, but no fancy tools are required. After a few practice pulls, you’ll have a delicious batch of noodles that's perfect for prepping ahead!
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About this recipe
Ingredients
For the noodles:
- 500g plain flour
- 250ml water
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for coating not to mix in)
For the sauce, per bowl
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, heated to smoking
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- Handful of chopped spring onions
- 2-3 tsp chilli powder with flakes and seeds
- 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp chilli oil, optional
Pair it with
Instructions
To make the noodles
- Mix flour and salt together, and gradually add in water until a rough dough is formed. Knead for 2-3 minutes until all flour is incorporated and cover and rest for 30 mins.
- After resting, knead the dough again until smooth, then separate into 4 dough balls, cover and rest for 1 hour.
- Roll out dough balls into 1cm thick palm sized ovals, cover liberally with oil. Cover and rest for another hour.
- After the dough has rested, gently take one piece and lightly press the centre with a chopstick in the horizontal centre of the oval shaped dough. Hold the two ends and stretch from the middle to pull it longer, slap it against the surface to help the process.
- When it’s about 1 metre long, split the dough down the dent in the centre to form a loop of noodle, separating it at the ends if preferred and immediately drop into salted boiling water for 3-5mins, depending on how thick the noodles are. DO NOT place the pulled noodles on the side as they will stick together and turn into a lump.
- Remove once cooked and place into a serving bowl.
For the sauce:
- Place the chopped aromatics and seasonings on top of cooked noodles in a serving bowl.
- Heat up the cooking oil in a small saucepan until smoking. Remove from heat and carefully pour over the aromatics. This will cause a sizzle and cook the aromatics (and make your kitchen smell delicious)
- Mix thoroughly with the noodles and serve straight away.
Video demonstration
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