Hot oil noodle- Biang Biang mian (Biang Biang noodles) is a very interesting and popular dish in Shaanxi province. And definitely it was one of my favorite dishes during my four years of university life.
If you never tasted it or have little background information, the name might be weird to you. “Biang” actually is an Onomatopoeia word describing the sound when the noodles smashing against the board (especially when smashing against stainless steel board).
The word Biang is considered as the most complicated Chinese character. People even draw up a pithy formula in order to write it correctly. In case you are curious about how it looks it.
If you ever visited Xi’an, you will find another wider hand ripped noodles—belt noodles (known as KuDai mian in Chinese). That particular word is trying to describe the appearance. So the name for Chinese dish are quite interesting right? There are also Mapo tofu, Kung Pao Chicken, Fuqi Feipian with stores behind the name.
Before we go to the recipe, Elaine wants to introduce Shaanxi cuisine slightly. Unlike Sichuan cuisine and Cantonese cuisine, Shaanxi dishes are less famous outside China. Even in Mainland China, lots of people have very little information about Shaanxi cuisine. However, Shaanxi cuisine is quite unique brand of Chinese cooking, which features flour with chili oil (with vinegar version), vinegar and many local vegetables. At the beginning, the dishes look less impressive as they are neither not so strong as Sichuan dishes, nor so delicate as Cantonese dishes, but you will fall in love after several attempts. Shaanxi province locates in the center of China and different dishes combine and impact each other here. My mom once said we have the most multifarious food in our college dining room after staying with me for several couple of weeks in my university. If you want to try more, check Liangpi cold skin noodles and Roujiamo (Chinese hamburger).
Now, jump to this particular recipe—Biang Biang Mian. I recommend using all-purpose flour to make the dough and try to use less water. You may think high gluten flour can make the noodles chewier. Ok, that envision is right. However it is not easy for beginners to use high gluten flour to make Biang Biang Mian as the gluten will make the smash process even harder. And the noodle strips may shrink after pulled out.If you cannot eat too spicy food, try to use pepper flakes or powder less spicy! As we are pouring hot oil directly over the chili powders, the spicy taste will be motivated greatly.
- 300g all-purpose flour
- 2g salt
- 130ml to 140ml water
- 2 tablespoons chili powder+pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce +2 tablespoon vinegar
- 2 garlic clove, minced
- 2 green onion, minced
- green vegetable for blanching
- 2 tablespoons vegetable cooking oil
- oil for brushing
- In a large bowl, mix salt with flour. And stir in water by batches. I usually add 130ml firstly and then see whether the dough is too tough to knead. Less water indicates a chewier taste. Grasp everything by hand and continue kneading the dough until smooth. Forcefully please or resort to a standard mixer. Cover with plastic wrapper and rest for 20 minutes.
- Knead the dough again for several minutes until the surface is really smooth as I show in the video. Cover with plastic wrapper again and rest for another 15-20 minutes
- Prepare a plate and brush some vegetable oil on surface. And then cut the noodle dough into halves and each half into 6 portions (as equal as possible and cover the other half with plastic wrapper to avoid drying out ). So we will end up with 12 portions. Shape each one into a long log and brush oil around. Cover with plastic wrapper and let the noodle strip log rest for 1 hour.
- Take one portion out, flat it and roll out to a rectangle. Press the center with a chopstick so we can separate the noodles later. Hold the two ends of the noodle strip and smash it against the operating board. You can slightly stretch it during the smashing process. But do not hurry; slow down so that you will not break it.
- And the separate the noodles along with the chop sticker trace.
- Boil water in pot and add noodles in. If you feel they shrink, stretch each strip slightly. Bring the large pot to boil.
- Add cold water once after it boils again. And then add green vegetable to blanch. The whole process of cooking lasts for around 4 minutes. Transfer out to serving bowl.
- In the mean time, heat up 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a small pot until slightly smoky.
- Place garlic, green onion and chili peppers on top and pour the hot oil over the noodles (mainly on the chili powders). Add soy sauce and vinegar and combine well.
There is a typo in your tagline – it should say “Chinese recipes and eating culture.”
Thanks for pointing that out. I will re-design the logo soon.
I gotta try that recipe. Thanks for posting it.
Happy cooking ahead.
Thanks a lot for this recipe. I love noodles more than any other food, so I’m always looking for ways to make them. It was very easy with your directions and they were delicious. I ate too much. 😮
Thanks Alessandra for your kind feedback. I am so glad to be helpful.
So, when watching the video, it looks like only some of the noodles are prepared at a time. Are you only supposed to prepare enough for a (single) serving at a time or do you do all of the noodles at one time and 2 tbsp oil is enough for all of the noodles? Thanks for the recipe…trying this with my daughter….
Hi Tim,
I cook half of the noodles and keep the left for my husband. And 2 tablespoons of oil is only for one serving. But it is ok if you want to slightly reduce the oil and chili powder for the consideration of healthy and spiciness. Hope your lovely daughter will love this.
I have got to try this recipe this weekend. I am not a good cook, but I would love to try. Thank you for this recipe.
Hi Ambrose,
Go ahead and try it. It is not difficult and I believe you can make it.
How many bowls of noodles does this dough recipe make?
Hi Paul,
It makes 2 bowls.
Elaine I am so happy that I found your web site and recipes! My son in law emigrated to the USA when he was 7 years old with his Mom and Dad from China. I am being instructed by his Mom on the proper way to cook authentic Chinese meals. With your help, I may be able to surprise him with more culinary skills! Thank you again, Dave
Hi Dave,
Thanks for letting me know. I am quite glad to be helpful. Chinese people usually make Chinese dishes based on personal experience. So I understand it will be quite hard to for unexperienced cook to learn by watching others cooking. But we can find a way out for sure. Happy cooking and wish you great progress in the coming year.
Thanks for the recipe…. What kind of chili powder do you use?
Hi Jigna,
I am using Sichuan style long pepper powder. You can use any type as long as you can accept the hotness.
Thanks
Do you have a photo of the bag? Or a brand name?
I use my homemade pepper powder, grounded from Chinese pepper. You can check this one.
Thanks!!! looks delicious
Your noodle dough is nearly exact as my pot-sticker dough. I’m glad that I can make another dish using the same dough recipe that I am already good with. BTW, add an egg yolk or two and you have American egg noodles or European dumplings. Isn’t flour versatile? Thank you for your wonderful recipe, I can’t wait to taste the sauce.
This reads like a starchy sour hot soup. I’m intrigued.
Haha, you are 100% write. All noodle dough is similar. And the best part of the dish is the sauce.
Just tried out this recipe – even on a hot summer day, it was delicious! The noodles were perfectly chewy and well worth the work. I’m curious, if I want to prepare some noodle dough and freeze it for another day, which step should I freeze it after? Would you suggest freezing it after the first round of kneading, or after shaping into logs? Would freezing this dough ruin the elasticity? Thanks again for this great recipe! I will definitely be making it very often from now on!
Hi Emily,
I have never tried to freeze them. But that’s a great point. I suggest freeze them directly after shaping into logs and then move to refrigerator and set aside until soft before hand pulling.
I made these yesterday and got to the point where they are divided up to 12 and then allowed to rest for an hour. I stretched and cooked half and then froze the other half in a ziplock baggie.
Today I defrosted them in the fridge and I had no issues with stretching, cooking, or eating them. They texture and consistency were spot on, although my flavors were adjusted since the kids were helping me today (I basically left out anything spicy)
I’m glad to know they freeze well, because i’m Going to make them for a crowd, and it will help a lot to do up a big batch and freeze in advance.
Good luck, and happy cooking!
Had to leave a reply to let you know – these were spot on! This is EXACTLY the way I remember it! The sauce, simple and elegant, was so very Xian!
Xiexie, xiexie! So excited I have this for my regular meals now.
Hi there, I have been in Xi’an for 4 years and I miss the food there very much. So I make some of my favorite dishes periodically. I am so glad to know you love it too.
Hi Elaine! I used to live in China and traveled to Shaanxi quite a few times. I love your blog because it brings back so many good memories!
Anyway, I tried to make your biang biang noodles and blogged about it here. The noodles were surprisingly easy to make (though my noodles were uneven in size)! Check it out if you have time. https://noodlenights.com/2016/10/27/spicy-beef-hand-pulled-noodles/
Wow, you get a wide version, Emily. They looks so good with spicy beef.
Thank you!
I didn’t have the time to make noodles myself but I used some other fresh chinese noodles.
It stil tasted awesome though!
Yes, you can substitute any other noodles you love to do this. The reason why Biang Biang Mian use wide noodles is that large area of noodles can make more seasoning sticking to noodles. It should be more flavorsome.
This was surprisingly good! A little too spicy for me but other than that it was great. Definitely making again in a few days, already craving!
Hi, James
Thanks for your feedback. You can reduce the amount of chili powder if you feel too spicy. Anyway this biang biang mian would much tasty with spicy seasoning.
I can’t wait to try this! What kind of chili powder do you use?
I use a very traditional one mixing Chinese erjingtiao and facing heaven (chaotianjiao). You can use your common chili powder.
What did people use before plastic wrap was invented?
Hi, James
It can be substituted by a big bowl, as long as the dough could be covered completely.
i love noodles 🙂
LOL, my husband talked me into this and the noodles have been divided and are doing the hourlong rest. Whew, it was a workout! Looking forward to the biang in a little while! Noodles are FUN!
Thanks Beth! Happy cooking!
I’d never made my own noodles before, but your recipe made it easy. It was really delicious. Only problem – the noodles stuck together during cooking. Is there any way to stop this? A little oil in the pan maybe?
Control your dusting flou, use more water to cook and add a pinch of salt in the water when cooking.
These are my favorite noodle to make. Everyone loves them.
Thanks for the feedback, Ed!
Thank you so much for a great recipe and video! I have been missing hand pulled noodles since I moved to Germany so I tried to make them myself with the help of your recipe. SO good!! I was amazed by how simple it was to make it and it tasted exactly like how I have had it before.
Thanks Sebastian for trying my recipe and send me such a great feedback. I am quite happy to be helpful. Happy cooking and I hope you enjoy other recipes on my little blog.
I’ve come across this recipe while googling for biang biang mian and I’ve made it a few times now. Turned out delicious everytime! Thank you for this recipe! 🙂
Thanks Lucia for the feedback. Biang Biang noodle is always my family favorite too.