There is a
Chinese saying that can be loosely translated to, "There is no
satisfaction without noodles," which pretty much describes my take on
life.
We spent our entire last trip to China in the
north, where there is plenty of rice, but handmade noodles are a staple for
breakfast. In Datong we had dao xiao mian is also known as Shanxi knife-cut
noodles, referring to the province in Northern China east of Beijing where
the dish originates, and describing the age-old technique of using a knife to
quickly shave wheat noodles off a block of dough into a boiling pot of water.
The resulting noodles are fresh, wide and comforting; a perfect base onto which
sauces and flavors can cling.
The
traditional method of making these noodles is tricky to do and fascinating to
watch. One uses a very sharp knife and has a pot of salted boiling water ready.
With your left hand, hold the oval dough pointed downward at a 30º angle, with
the downward-facing edge resting on a cutting board. This will help you make
smooth, even cuts. With your right hand, shave the knife down the dough to
create thin noodles. There's a Chinese saying to help you visualize this
technique, "Knife doesn't leave the dough, and doghdoesn't leave the
knife." It should be a continuous loop.
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