Wheat Gluten Liangpi (Cold Skin Noodles)

Wheat Gluten Liangpi

　　Wheat Gluten Liangpi mainly originates from the Guanzhong region, and many households in Xi'an also make it themselves. The process begins with washing the wheat gluten. First, prepare the dough and let it rest for about half an hour. Then, place the dough in water to wash it. When washing the gluten, gently pat the dough — never knead it. Continue washing until no more starch comes out of the dough, at which point it’s considered washed. The washed gluten can be steamed in a steamer basket or boiled in a pot. Before steaming or boiling, you can add a small amount of baking soda to the gluten to make it fluffier and tastier. Once cooked, set it aside. The washed starch water needs to sit for a while — some even leave it overnight — to allow it to settle fully. Once the starch has settled, pour off the clear water on top. What remains is the thickened starch paste. At this stage, add some water and stir it into a batter of moderate thickness, then you can start steaming the liangpi.

　　Once the water boils, pour the batter into a liangpi mold and swirl it around so the batter spreads evenly. Then place the mold in the boiling water. Some people place a rack over the pot and put the mold on the rack to steam. After about five minutes, it’s ready to come out. When serving, cut the liangpi into strips of your preferred width. Also, tear (or cut) the cooked gluten into strips. In a bowl, place the liangpi and gluten, add your chosen toppings and seasonings, and your bowl of liangpi is complete.

　　There aren’t many strict rules for the toppings of Wheat Gluten Liangpi — any seasonal vegetables will do. Common choices include shredded cucumber, shredded greens, shredded celery, and mung bean sprouts. As for seasonings, in addition to salt, vinegar, soy sauce, MSG, mashed garlic, and chili oil, the most distinctive element is a specially brewed seasoning broth. This broth varies according to personal taste but is generally made by simmering spices such as cardamom, fennel, and cloves. How much seasoning you add to the liangpi is entirely up to your preference. When properly prepared, the liangpi has a white, translucent sheen, the gluten takes on a yellow hue from absorbing the soy sauce, the cucumber strips add green, and the chili oil provides a splash of red — making it both delicious and visually appealing. Paired with a bowl of mung bean congee and some freshly mixed cold side dishes, it makes a wonderful summer dish.