Real Recipe Straight from Lanzhou: 7 Insider Secrets to Lanzhou Beef Noodles
Explore the unique world of halal snacks! The ChiNoodles team went straight to Lanzhou city to uncover the art of Lanzhou beef noodles, from dough techniques, noodle pulling and the perfect recipe for beef broth.
Features of Lanzhou Beef Noodles
Lanzhou Beef Noodles are a well-known specialty from Lanzhou and a staple at halal spots. A perfect bowl of Lanzhou beef noodles is all about crystal-clear broth, tender beef, and perfectly thin noodles, featuring clear broth, white radish, red chili oil, green cilantro and garlic sprouts, and golden yellow noodles.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
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500g of wheat flour
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50g of cooked white radish slices
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40g of cooked beef cubes
Seasonings:
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20g of rapeseed oil
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18g of fine salt
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200g of water
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1500g of beef bone broth
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10g of cilantro
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8g of garlic sprouts
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25g of chili oil
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15g of Penghui water (an alkaline water similar to lye, used in traditional noodle-making)
Making Process
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Prepare the Dough
Place 500 grams of flour on a clean surface, making a well in the center. Tap the edge of the well with your fist to keep water from spilling out. Mix the flour with 200 grams of water and a pinch of salt. Knead the mixture with your hands until you form a smooth, elastic dough. Add some penghui water and continue kneading until the dough is soft and slightly glossy.
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Preliminary Stretching
Take the dough and place it on your work surface. Knead it repeatedly until it’s stretchy and elastic. Shape it into a roughly 66 cm long strip. Lift the strip and repeatedly pound, knead, stretch, and fold it to form a rope. Place it back on the surface, hold both ends, and gently shake it up and down. As it stretches to the desired length, twist it first to the left to make a double strand, then to the right. This technique helps ensure even thickness and texture. Alternate hands each time you twist the strand to prevent sticking and ensure the best results.
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Pulling the Noodles
Once the dough is prepared, coat it lightly with rapeseed oil to keep it from sticking. Then, pull the dough into noodles of different sizes and thicknesses according to preference. Lanzhou beef noodles come in various styles, such as super wide (two-finger width), wide (one-finger width), Semi Wide (chives leaf width), thicker (4mm thin), thick (3mm thin), thin (pencil-thin) and hair thin (wire-like thin). Hold both ends of the dough and use a steady, outward motion to stretch it, then fold the ends and hold them between the fingers of one hand (left hand normally), while using the other hand to hook to the other end, upward your palm to a twisted rope and then keep stretching. Continue pulling and folding until the noodles reach the desired length, gently shaking them to ensure a smooth, stretchy texture.
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Cooking and Seasoning
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the pulled noodles. Once they float, remove them and place them in a bowl. Heat up pre-made beef broth and pour it over the noodles. Top with cooked radish slices, beef cubes, cilantro, and garlic sprouts. Finish with a drizzle of chili oil to taste.
Tips:
Generally, it takes 7 stretches for the hair-thin noodles, 6 stretchers for thin ones, 5 stretches for the thick ones, 5 stretches for the thicker ones, 2 stretches for the super wide ones, 5 stretches for the semi-wide noodles (with the last stretch for the final shaping of the noodles).
Insider secrets to the Perfect Lanzhou Beef Noodles
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Adjust Penghui for noodle length
Penghui, an alkaline substance made from a local plants that grow in in the Gobi Desert. It's normally used to make Lanzhou Noodles and gives the noodles a distinct flavor and unique chewiness. While there have been concerns about penghui’s safety, in small amounts it’s harmless and fully approved by the Lanzhou Cuisine Association, as long as it follows food safety standards. The amount of penghui added depends on the length of the noodles—longer noodles allow the dough to absorb water naturally, so less penghui is needed.
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Water Temperature Matters
The water temperature is key when making dough. Start by adding a little water to the flour and mix by hand into a spindle shape. Gradually add more water until combined. Mix in a small amount of penghui, kneading thoroughly each time. After two rounds of water and penghui, let the dough rest, then add penghui again and knead until smooth and elastic, ready for pulling.
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Proper Twisting for Elastic Noodles
When twisting and folding the dough strands, make sure to alternate your left and right hand, rotating in opposite directions each time. This ensures the noodles have both chewiness and elasticity. If done incorrectly, the noodles will become loose and lack structure. This is a crucial step.
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Quick and Even Noodle Stretching
Stretch the noodles quickly and evenly. Typically, a single dough portion makes one bowl of noodles. Each time you pull, fold the noodles over your wrist, then pull again. After several stretches, shake the noodles up and down to ensure chewy texture and even thickness. Be sure to dust the noodles with flour occasionally during the process to prevent them from sticking.
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Recipes for Broth and Seasoning Water
The key to the rich flavor of Lanzhou beef noodles is the broth. The recipe for broth is passed down through generations. The clear broth isn't just water mixed with salt, but is made from a variety of seasonings and beef. The broth is truly the soul of the dish.
How to Make Broth for Lanzhou Beef Noodles
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Choose the Beef: For Lanzhou noodles, use beef from the Gannan or Qinghai yak. Opt for cuts with a lot of tendons, as these are lean and chewy. The beef should be sliced thinly for a good texture.
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Soak the Beef: For 30 kilograms of beef, crush the bones with a hammer first and soak them in cold water for 2 hours. Cut the beef into large 2-kilogram chunks, rinse and soak them in cold water for 3-4 hours.
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Cook the Broth: Place the beef in a large alumnium pot with the meat side down. Add 50 liters of cold water and cook until the beef is well-cooked and the broth is clear. Avoid using an iron pot, as it can darken the broth. If you have beef tendons and fat, rinse them and cook with the beef. Start with cold water, bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then turn the meat over. Add 100 grams of chili peppers and fructus amomi, 120 grams of black cardamom (also known as Lanxangia tsao-ko), 80 grams of dried ginger, 60 grams of galangal, 30 grams of cassia buds, 20 grams of star anise, and 4 scallions. This will infuse the broth with a rich flavor.
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Prepare the Seasoning Water: Grind the following spices into a fine powder and mix well: 1500 grams of chili peppers, 750 grams of black cardamom, 500 grams each of dried ginger, pepper, cooked sesame seeds, and dried shrimp, 400 grams of cassia barks, 250 grams of fennel seeds, 60 grams of nutmeg, 30 grams of cardamom, 20 grams each of pepper, sand ginger, and star anise, and 5 grams of cloves. Add 50 grams of this spice mix to a pot with 4 liters of water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and strain the clear seasoning water through cheesecloth into an alumnium bowl. Add another 3 liters of water, bring it to boil and simmer for 5 minutes, strain as before. Repeat with 2 liters of water, simmer for 4-5 minutes, strain well and mix all three batches of seasoning water together.
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Boost the Flavor with Chili Oil
To make the spicy oil, heat 10 kg of sesame oil, then cool it down to 212°F (100°C). Add 20 grams of Sichuan peppercorns, 15 grams of black cardomom, 30 grams of star anise, and 50 g of scallions to the oil, frying until aromatic. Take the spices and scallions out and stir in 6 kg of chili powder, heating again with the warm oil starting at 212°F. Stir gently for 20 minutes to develop the chili flavor. Once finished, remove the spices and scallions, and mix in 200 grams of raw white sesame seeds.
Pour this vibrant chili oil over your broth to keep the broth clear and aromatic, with the oil and chili floating on top for a visually appealing and flavorful addition.
Pro Tip: Keep a close eye on the temperature while making chili oil. If it’s too low, the oil won’t pack enough heat; if it’s too high, the chili can burn and turn bitter.
7. Methods of Cooking Radishes
Radishes are key in beef noodle broth. Start with fresh green radishes, clean them, trim the ends, and cut into strips or wedges. Blanch in boiling water and soak them in cold water for 40 minutes, then cook them in beef broth until tender.
Tips
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For an authentic beef noodle soup, mix the broth with seasoning water in a 1:3 ratio. Heat the mixture to 194°F (90°C) in a pot. Season with salt, MSG, and chicken powder in a 3:1:1 ratio. Pour this mixture over the noodles. Avoid boiling the broth too hard, as it can darken the broth. If it does, add some cool broth to adjust.
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Adjust seasoning water based on taste preferences: more for a stronger flavor, less for a milder taste.