Enjoy!
Showing posts with label Noodles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Noodles. Show all posts
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Hand-rolled oat noodles: the video
I'm finally putting up a link to the video of my mom-in-law rolling out the oat noodles. I still have not tried making them myself. I will one day, maybe after I have watched the video 1000 times :p!
Thursday, October 24, 2013
A woman and her KitchenAid stand mixer
I had always wanted a KitchenAid stand mixer, but they were just way out of my budget! So when we were putting gifts on our wedding registry, I decided to put the KitchenAid onto the list even though I didn't really expect to get it (because it's so expensive!). I was hopeful and surprisingly enough, my dream came true! Not only did I get the stand mixer, but I also received a bunch of attachments that go along with it. Equipped with my new KitchenAid stand mixer and attachements I feel like I can do anything! That is, anything related to cooking :P.
So far, my in-laws (who are now back in China - :D) and I have been playing a lot with the pasta attachements and the food grinder. We love it, actually I should say they love it since they're the ones who have been using it to do all the noodle and dumpling preparation. It makes things much easier. Now that they have left, I've decided to test my newly acquired skills in noodle making as well as play with the KitchenAid.
In my previous posts on noodle making, my attempts to make noodles from scratch weren't all too successful. Each time I made the noodles, they came out hard even after I cooked them for quite sometime. When my in-laws made the noodles, they seemed to come out perfectly. Not too hard and not too soft.
According to my mother-in-law, the key to making good noodles is in the dough. It should not be too soft but rather, somewhat hard. That being said, what do I mean when I say 'too soft, or somewhat hard'? That's a good question and it takes a wee bit of trial and error to figure it out. For me, 'too soft' means that the dough is as soft as your earlobe. When I made noodles last night, I made two batches of dough using the KitchenAid.
I really like the KitchenAid as it makes the dough for me, but I think it uses more water than I want in order for the dough to form. I used 1 cup of flour and then I added about a total of 3/4 cup of water since the dough wasn't forming. So for my first round of noodles, the dough was as soft as my earlobes after kneading. I used the pasta attachments to roll out the noodles and those worked really nicely. After cooking the noodles, they were actually OK - a wee bit hard but not too bad. Using the pasta rollers were really helpful as I could make the noodles really thin. If I did everything by hand, I think I would end up with the same results as my previous attempts.
The second dough I made was 'harder'. I used about 1.5 cups of flour and added about 3/4 cup of water, possibly a little less than that. I had to 'help' the KitchenAid a bit to form the dough since I didn't want to add more water. The noodles came out good - not as hard as the first batch. I still need some practice but at least I can make better noodles now! Next time I will try using the egg noodle dough recipe from KitchenAid and see if it tastes better! I definitely have to say, I love having the KitchenAid - not only does it make things easier, it's also fun to use!!
Below are pics of the KitchenAid, fresh noodles and the final dish :). Enjoy!
So far, my in-laws (who are now back in China - :D) and I have been playing a lot with the pasta attachements and the food grinder. We love it, actually I should say they love it since they're the ones who have been using it to do all the noodle and dumpling preparation. It makes things much easier. Now that they have left, I've decided to test my newly acquired skills in noodle making as well as play with the KitchenAid.
In my previous posts on noodle making, my attempts to make noodles from scratch weren't all too successful. Each time I made the noodles, they came out hard even after I cooked them for quite sometime. When my in-laws made the noodles, they seemed to come out perfectly. Not too hard and not too soft.
According to my mother-in-law, the key to making good noodles is in the dough. It should not be too soft but rather, somewhat hard. That being said, what do I mean when I say 'too soft, or somewhat hard'? That's a good question and it takes a wee bit of trial and error to figure it out. For me, 'too soft' means that the dough is as soft as your earlobe. When I made noodles last night, I made two batches of dough using the KitchenAid.
I really like the KitchenAid as it makes the dough for me, but I think it uses more water than I want in order for the dough to form. I used 1 cup of flour and then I added about a total of 3/4 cup of water since the dough wasn't forming. So for my first round of noodles, the dough was as soft as my earlobes after kneading. I used the pasta attachments to roll out the noodles and those worked really nicely. After cooking the noodles, they were actually OK - a wee bit hard but not too bad. Using the pasta rollers were really helpful as I could make the noodles really thin. If I did everything by hand, I think I would end up with the same results as my previous attempts.
The second dough I made was 'harder'. I used about 1.5 cups of flour and added about 3/4 cup of water, possibly a little less than that. I had to 'help' the KitchenAid a bit to form the dough since I didn't want to add more water. The noodles came out good - not as hard as the first batch. I still need some practice but at least I can make better noodles now! Next time I will try using the egg noodle dough recipe from KitchenAid and see if it tastes better! I definitely have to say, I love having the KitchenAid - not only does it make things easier, it's also fun to use!!
Below are pics of the KitchenAid, fresh noodles and the final dish :). Enjoy!
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Hand-rolled Oat Flour Noodles - Not your typical noodle making method
For the past 5.5 months, my in-laws have been living with us and we certainly have had our days. Half the time they are trying to tell us how things should be around the house, the other half of the time, we're telling them what they shouldn't be doing! Although there have been some tense days with them staying with us, I have to admit, they have definitely been helpful around the house, especially in the kitchen. One of the perks of living with the in-laws (and being unemployed ...) is that I get to learn a bunch of cooking techniques! AND I get to eat some things that I've never eaten before (which is more exciting than the actual cooking :P). The other night was one of those nights where I got really excited to see and taste something different - hand-rolled oat flour noodles! I've only ever heard of hand-pulled wheat flour noodles, and I've seen how those were made and have tasted them before. But hand-rolled noodles?!?, this was a completely new to me.
These noodles are called 莜面 (oat flour) and originate from the Shanxi province in China. In general, this province is known for it's noodle dishes. I've been to Datong, China, a city within the Shanxi province and where my husband and his family are originally from. I can say that I definitely remember eating delicious noodles of all sorts, but I don't recall eating this particular type of noodle. I guess that is what happens when there too much to do and see with not enough time! Anyhow, I'm glad I got to see first hand how these noodles are made. Pretty neat to watch!
The dough recipe itself is pretty simple - oat flour and boiled water (yes, according to mom-in-law, you must use boiled hot water in order to make the dough). Unfortunately, I can't really tell you the proportion of flour to water (they generally eyeball the amounts!)...yet. I'll have to try making it myself first and then I'll post the proportions later. After making the dough, she pinched off two pieces of dough and then started the rolling process with the palm of her hand. She rolled two noodle strands simultaneously with one hand - amazing! I was just mesmerized with watching how she did the whole process so gracefully and quickly. After she made all the noodles, she steamed them instead of boiling them. We had ground lamb with broth and some other veggies to go with the noodles - yum.
For now I'll just share some photos of her making it (once I get the video posting figured out I'll put a video of her making it up too)! Maybe it's me, but it's so fun to watch the noodles being made! AND they're yummy!
These noodles are called 莜面 (oat flour) and originate from the Shanxi province in China. In general, this province is known for it's noodle dishes. I've been to Datong, China, a city within the Shanxi province and where my husband and his family are originally from. I can say that I definitely remember eating delicious noodles of all sorts, but I don't recall eating this particular type of noodle. I guess that is what happens when there too much to do and see with not enough time! Anyhow, I'm glad I got to see first hand how these noodles are made. Pretty neat to watch!
The dough recipe itself is pretty simple - oat flour and boiled water (yes, according to mom-in-law, you must use boiled hot water in order to make the dough). Unfortunately, I can't really tell you the proportion of flour to water (they generally eyeball the amounts!)...yet. I'll have to try making it myself first and then I'll post the proportions later. After making the dough, she pinched off two pieces of dough and then started the rolling process with the palm of her hand. She rolled two noodle strands simultaneously with one hand - amazing! I was just mesmerized with watching how she did the whole process so gracefully and quickly. After she made all the noodles, she steamed them instead of boiling them. We had ground lamb with broth and some other veggies to go with the noodles - yum.
For now I'll just share some photos of her making it (once I get the video posting figured out I'll put a video of her making it up too)! Maybe it's me, but it's so fun to watch the noodles being made! AND they're yummy!
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| Mom-in-law rolling out the noodles from the dough - she was making two noodle strands with one hand! |
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| Rolled out noodles ready for steaming! |
Friday, February 1, 2013
Oodles of Noodles
Noodle and pasta dishes are my favorites! You can cook them any way and they are still delicious (provided that you have the right combination of ingredients). Given the extra time that I now have (since I've been done with school and haven't quite found the right job... yet), I've become a wee bit obsessed with the notion of 'hand-made' foods. I've tried my hand at making bao and bread loafs, and have made dumpling wrappers before (though I can't say I've mastered them just yet). Now I'm giving noodle making a try! In terms of soup noodles, I'm completely satisfied with how I've 'mastered' some of the different types of broths. For the noodle aspect, let's just say I'm getting there...slowly. The only problem with making soup noodles is the amount of time that goes into the stock/broth (there is a difference between stock and broth, which I didn't learn until now :P Stock = made by simmering bones, meat and veggies for long hours, generally you brown the ingredients first, Broth = same process only no bones and generally no browning beforehand) making as well as the noodle making. But certainly one can always make a big batch of broth and freeze it for the future. Same goes for the noodles - just make a lot and then save the extras in the fridge.
I'll share the recipes that I've tested for Beef Pho, Chinese Beef Noodle Soup, and Tonkotsu Ramen in a 3 separate posts. This first one covers stock making and Beef Pho.
The Beef Pho and Chinese Beef Noodle Soup use beef stock as a base and the Tonkotsu Ramen uses pork stock as a base. Making the stock is really simple, but it take awhile to simmer.
Making the stock:
Bones - People have suggested to use leg bones, short ribs and such. I tend to use what I can get at the supermarket which is usually neck bones, ribs, feet and sometimes, beef marrow bones
Water - Have more water than bones and fill the pot to about 1-2 inches from the top
Large Yellow Onion (I use either a 1/3 of the onion or half of it)
Green Onions (white/light green parts)
Ginger (about 1-1.5 inch piece - bigger if you have a huge pot)
Blanch the bones first for about 5 min, then wash them thoroughly. Once they're washed, put them into the pot and fill with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 3 hours. While it is simmering, "char" the onion, green onion and ginger. I usually just use the broiler to get them slightly burnt, but you can fry them or grill them. I remove any big black parts afterwards. Once you done the charring, throw them into the pot of simmering bones.
Beef Pho (Vietnamese Soup Noodle) Ingredients (Medium Pot)
1 to 2 bags of bean sprouts
Thinly sliced yellow onion
Thinly sliced beef (I buy the shaved beef steak!)
Sliced beef tripe (not the honeycomb, blanch first)
Beef tendon balls (I like to cut them in half, boil separately first)
Chopped cilantro
Thai basil
Lime wedge
4-5 Star anise
1-1.5 inch Cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
3 tablespoons of fish sauce
1 inch of rock sugar
Beef stock (Enough to fill the medium sized pot)
Bahn Pho noodles (Cook separately according to package directions - make sure to rinse well in cold water after draining)
Put the star anise, cinnamon stick and whole cloves into a tea ball (that way you don't have to pick them out when you eat your noodles!) and put in with the beef stock. Add the fish sauce and rock sugar, beef tripe and beef tendon balls and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the bean sprouts, yellow onions and sliced beef. Simmer for about 1-2 minutes.
Have your noodles ready in bowls and pour in the broth. Garnish with cilantro, thai basil and fresh squeezed lime juice if you like :). Enjoy!
http://flic.kr/p/dL1sdm
I'll share the recipes that I've tested for Beef Pho, Chinese Beef Noodle Soup, and Tonkotsu Ramen in a 3 separate posts. This first one covers stock making and Beef Pho.
The Beef Pho and Chinese Beef Noodle Soup use beef stock as a base and the Tonkotsu Ramen uses pork stock as a base. Making the stock is really simple, but it take awhile to simmer.
Making the stock:
Bones - People have suggested to use leg bones, short ribs and such. I tend to use what I can get at the supermarket which is usually neck bones, ribs, feet and sometimes, beef marrow bones
Water - Have more water than bones and fill the pot to about 1-2 inches from the top
Large Yellow Onion (I use either a 1/3 of the onion or half of it)
Green Onions (white/light green parts)
Ginger (about 1-1.5 inch piece - bigger if you have a huge pot)
Blanch the bones first for about 5 min, then wash them thoroughly. Once they're washed, put them into the pot and fill with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 3 hours. While it is simmering, "char" the onion, green onion and ginger. I usually just use the broiler to get them slightly burnt, but you can fry them or grill them. I remove any big black parts afterwards. Once you done the charring, throw them into the pot of simmering bones.
Beef Pho (Vietnamese Soup Noodle) Ingredients (Medium Pot)
1 to 2 bags of bean sprouts
Thinly sliced yellow onion
Thinly sliced beef (I buy the shaved beef steak!)
Sliced beef tripe (not the honeycomb, blanch first)
Beef tendon balls (I like to cut them in half, boil separately first)
Chopped cilantro
Thai basil
Lime wedge
4-5 Star anise
1-1.5 inch Cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
3 tablespoons of fish sauce
1 inch of rock sugar
Beef stock (Enough to fill the medium sized pot)
Bahn Pho noodles (Cook separately according to package directions - make sure to rinse well in cold water after draining)
Put the star anise, cinnamon stick and whole cloves into a tea ball (that way you don't have to pick them out when you eat your noodles!) and put in with the beef stock. Add the fish sauce and rock sugar, beef tripe and beef tendon balls and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the bean sprouts, yellow onions and sliced beef. Simmer for about 1-2 minutes.
Have your noodles ready in bowls and pour in the broth. Garnish with cilantro, thai basil and fresh squeezed lime juice if you like :). Enjoy!
http://flic.kr/p/dL1sdm
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Zha Jiang Mian - 炸酱面 (Soybean sauce noodle)
Today, you are about to experience a very popular home style dry (in contrast to soup) noodle in northern China. If you love Chinese food, you must try Chinese noodle; if you love Chinese noodle, you must try Zha Jiang Mian.
You will need:
Chinese style Dry Noodle (a handful is enough for 2 servings)
Sweetened Soybean Paste (甜面酱 tián miàn jiàng)
Ground pork (猪肉 zhū ròu) (half Lbs)
Cucumber (1)
Green onion (1), Ginger (1 inch cube), finely chopped
Chinese style cooking wine (2 table spoon)
Oil (2 table spoon) (油 yóu)
Corn Starch (maybe)
1. Stir fry pork.
Heat up the pan, add oil, and spread the oil by turning the pan. Add ground pork and stir fry it on Medium fire for a minute. After the ground pork break into little pieces, add cooking wine, and keep on stir frying until it is almost cooked. Add ginger, green onion, and keep on stir frying until it is fully cooked.
2. Add about 1 cup of Sweetened Soybean Paste into the cooked pork, and cook the mixed sauce on medium-low fire for about 5 - 10 minutes. Stir the sauce and scrub the bottom, in case it stick on the bottom and get burnt. Have a taste, see if it's too sweet or too salty for you. Add water or more paste, or even sugar, salt to adjust.
3. Boil water and cook Dry Noodle in a sauce pan, then drain it.
4. Thin slice cucumber.
5. Serve.
You will need:
Chinese style Dry Noodle (a handful is enough for 2 servings)
Sweetened Soybean Paste (甜面酱 tián miàn jiàng)
Ground pork (猪肉 zhū ròu) (half Lbs)
Cucumber (1)
Green onion (1), Ginger (1 inch cube), finely chopped
Chinese style cooking wine (2 table spoon)
Oil (2 table spoon) (油 yóu)
Corn Starch (maybe)
1. Stir fry pork.
Heat up the pan, add oil, and spread the oil by turning the pan. Add ground pork and stir fry it on Medium fire for a minute. After the ground pork break into little pieces, add cooking wine, and keep on stir frying until it is almost cooked. Add ginger, green onion, and keep on stir frying until it is fully cooked.
2. Add about 1 cup of Sweetened Soybean Paste into the cooked pork, and cook the mixed sauce on medium-low fire for about 5 - 10 minutes. Stir the sauce and scrub the bottom, in case it stick on the bottom and get burnt. Have a taste, see if it's too sweet or too salty for you. Add water or more paste, or even sugar, salt to adjust.3. Boil water and cook Dry Noodle in a sauce pan, then drain it.
4. Thin slice cucumber.
5. Serve.
Mix your noodle with certain amount of sauce, according to your taste, and add cucumbers for refreshing. Done.
We don't have cucumber today, so we fried bean sprout and snow peas. Still good!
I am really upset about the quality of Sweetened Soybean Paste you get in US. Some brands are too sweet, some are too salty (The original Chinese style 甜面酱 should have little taste. Although 甜 literally means sweet, it really means "not salty" here). So, if you are using a strong taste brand, and end up having to add a lot more water to blend the taste, you can always use Corn Starch to make your watery sauce thicker. Good luck!
Learn Chinese:
noodle = 面 = miàn
sweet = 甜 = tián
sauce = 酱 = jiàng
oil = 油 = yóu
pork = 猪肉 = zhū ròu
Zha Jiang Mian also appears in many movies. Like this one, Call for love (爱情呼叫转移), about a white collar, who got a magic phone from an angle, claiming the phone will let him experience different types of girls. His ex-wife is famous for her Zha Jiang Mian. Ironically, this is one of the reasons he left her.
We don't have cucumber today, so we fried bean sprout and snow peas. Still good!I am really upset about the quality of Sweetened Soybean Paste you get in US. Some brands are too sweet, some are too salty (The original Chinese style 甜面酱 should have little taste. Although 甜 literally means sweet, it really means "not salty" here). So, if you are using a strong taste brand, and end up having to add a lot more water to blend the taste, you can always use Corn Starch to make your watery sauce thicker. Good luck!
Learn Chinese:
noodle = 面 = miàn
sweet = 甜 = tián
sauce = 酱 = jiàng
oil = 油 = yóu
pork = 猪肉 = zhū ròu
Zha Jiang Mian also appears in many movies. Like this one, Call for love (爱情呼叫转移), about a white collar, who got a magic phone from an angle, claiming the phone will let him experience different types of girls. His ex-wife is famous for her Zha Jiang Mian. Ironically, this is one of the reasons he left her.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Wonton Noodles with Braised Beef Tendon - 牛筋馄饨面
Whenever I order wonton noodle soup, I always order the one with beef tendon. It's my favorite! The beef tendon is so tender and flavorful. Unfortunately, my current location doesn't have restaurants that make beef tendon wonton noodle soup :(. So I decided to make it myself, or at least attempt to. Here's a recipe and the results of my attempt!
By the way, because I am Chinese and learned a bit of my grandma's style of cooking, measurements in my recipes are not exact. (I usually have a test taste before I finish cooking the dish)
By the way, because I am Chinese and learned a bit of my grandma's style of cooking, measurements in my recipes are not exact. (I usually have a test taste before I finish cooking the dish)
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