Fushan stretched noodles

Fushan stretched noodles

　　Also known as pulled noodles or long-pulled noodles. It is both a type of noodle and a traditional technique in noodle-making. Its origins are uncertain. Folklore suggests that because Fushan stretched noodles from Shandong are famous, there is a theory that they originated in Fushan.

　　Pronounced "chēn miàn," these are noodles made by hand-pulling.

　　Overview: The technique is complex, involving dough mixing, strand forming, and stretching to create dough sheets as fine as dragon beard. Boiled in hot water, the stretched noodles

　　are served with various broths such as seafood trio, sliced fish, prawn, shredded chicken, or clam broth. They are smooth, chewy, flavorful, and refreshing, offering a unique taste.

　　The main ingredient of stretched noodles is flour, with a small amount of salt and alkali added. Depending on the season, climate, and regional conditions, varying amounts of water and water temperatures are used. The principle behind their preparation is that through dough resting and processes like slapping and folding the strands, the molecular structure of the dough changes from a crosswise arrangement to an aligned one, making the dough soft, flexible, and stretchable. The main steps include dough mixing, resting, slapping, and folding. Today, many types of noodles are made using stretched noodle techniques, such as flat noodles, three-edged noodles, hollow noodles, stuffed noodles, golden thread rolls, silver thread rolls, dragon beard rolls, and dragon beard noodles. Noodles made this way are suitable for steaming, boiling, pan-frying, or deep-frying.

　　Stretched noodles are made by repeatedly folding and pulling two strands. In some northern regions, seven folds are called long-pulled noodles, while twelve or more folds are called dragon beard noodles. Once boiled, long-pulled noodles are topped with various meat or vegetable sauces and seasonings, making them a festive and guest-worthy dish.

　　Stretched noodle performances: With industry development and market competition, the standard for dragon beard noodles in today’s food service industry is defined as 14 folds (16,384 strands), and during the pulling process

　　it differs from ordinary noodle stretching. Noodle artists incorporate various dance-like movements into the process. The noodles come alive in the hands of the masters—sometimes writhing like a snake, then after thinning, splashing like turbulent waves under the shake of the master’s hand, leaving audiences in awe. Especially during the final fold, the master often places one end of the noodle on the ground and holds the other above their head, shaking it continuously, presenting a breathtaking “waterfall” as if “three thousand feet straight down, as if the Milky Way fell from the heavens,” showcasing the profound artistry of Chinese noodle-making to its fullest. The most finely stretched recorded dragon beard noodles reach over 20 folds, with counts in the millions.

　　Skillful noodle pulling is one of the signature techniques of dough work, highly challenging, and also an essential step in making various pastries (such as Qingyou pancakes, silver thread rolls, coiled scallion pancakes, shredded chicken pancakes, etc.).

　　Noodle pulling requires attention to the following points:

　　Dough Mixing

　　Use high-gluten, strong flour. For every 5 kilograms of flour, add about 3 kilograms of water, 50 grams of salt, and 25 grams of alkaline flour. The water temperature should vary with the seasons: 50°C in winter, 30°C in spring and autumn, and cold water in summer. Place the flour in a basin, optionally adding the saltwater first, then pouring water along the edge of the basin. After adding water, mix with both hands, ensuring no dry flour remains at the bottom. Knead into a wheat-ear texture, then sprinkle more water and knead into a dough. Once the dough is mostly mixed, do not add more dry flour, as it will make the dough sticky and difficult to work with. After the dough is roughly kneaded, pour the alkaline water onto it and continue kneading until the dough, hands, and bowl are all smooth. Finally, sprinkle water around the edge of the basin, flip the dough over, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rest for 15–30 minutes to allow the flour particles to fully absorb the moisture.

　　Strand Stretching

　　The method involves taking the rested dough (about 1500 grams of dough and water) and placing it on the work surface. Rub it with the heels of both palms until it becomes elastic, then roll it into a thick strand over half a meter long. Through stretching and slapping, make the noodles elastic to maximize their extensibility. The method of aligning the gluten involves extending the dough, folding it, extending again, and folding again—a quick and short process that alters the internal structure of the dough. The so-called slapping also involves first extending the thick strand, adding length (the right-hand dough end is tossed left-upward, released, and the left hand flips the dough end upward into a twisted shape), combining strands, then extending and combining again. Repeat this several times, and after combining, slap the dough until it becomes smooth. This method is time-saving, labor-efficient, and yields high quality. Most methods involve lifting the thick strand off the work surface, extending both arms horizontally, stretching and shaking it to build tension, then when the strand nears the ground, crossing both hands to combine it into a two-strand rope shape. Then the right hand takes the other end and continues stretching. Repeat until the strand is smooth. If the gluten feels weak during stretching, dip it in alkaline water as needed. When twisting the strands into a rope, alternate the direction—once reverse, once forward. Both stretching and slapping should not be overdone, as excessive handling can lead to uneven thickness, ruining the result. Generally, when the strand is smooth, soft, and elastic, it is ready to be pulled.

　　Images of different stretched noodle-making methods (14 photos)

　　Pulling Out the Strands

　　Also called opening the strands or releasing the strands, this is the process of repeatedly stretching the smoothed and evened-out thick strand into noodles by sprinkling flour. The process includes building tension, stretching, folding, switching hands, and sprinkling flour—that is, placing the thick strand on the work surface, sprinkling flour, pressing both ends with both hands, and rubbing to build tension. Once the tension is sufficient, hold both ends and stretch, then flick it onto the work surface and shake it. Catch both ends with the left hand, use the right thumb and middle finger to grab the middle of the strand as the new end, and flip it outward to the right while stretching and shaking to lengthen the noodle. Then tuck the right end into the left hand, forming a triangle on the work surface. Sprinkle flour with the right hand, then grab the center part of the noodle and stretch again. Continue this until the desired thickness is achieved.

　　Key points for noodle pulling: Do not grip the dough too tightly, as excessive force may cause breakage or stickiness.

　　Toss the right-hand dough end left-upward and release it; the left hand flips the end upward to form a twist.

　　When slapping the strand, let the middle part touch the board first to prevent the edge of the board from cutting the noodle.

　　During strand stretching, do not look at the board; focus on making the noodle rotate in a large arc.

　　Roll and build tension on the work surface before pulling out the strands.