Wu'an Hand-Pulled Noodles

Wu'an Hand-Pulled Noodles

　　The craft of making Wu'an hand-pulled noodles is said to have originated in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican era. At that time, two brothers created the dish; later, one stayed to run a shop locally while the other opened a store in Shanxi. There are three types of Wu'an hand-pulled noodles: Guo Mian (hooked noodles), Zhai Mian (pulled noodles), and Hollow Noodles. Guo Mian is round in shape, Zhai Mian is flat, and Hollow Noodles are round on the outside but hollow inside.

　　The making process goes as follows: when kneading the dough, an appropriate amount of salt is added first. After the dough is well-kneaded, let it rest briefly, then roll it into thin strips. Hold both ends and shake them up and down until they reach a certain length. Then bring your hands together, twist, and pull repeatedly until the noodles become uniform and smooth. On this basis, the three varieties—Guo Mian, Zhai Mian, and Hollow Noodles—are crafted separately.

　　Guo Mian: Roll the evenly stretched dough with some dry flour, then continue stretching and pulling it repeatedly several times until fine, round Guo Mian noodles are formed.

　　Zhai Mian: Place the well-stretched dough on the noodle board, roll it out into a rectangular sheet with a rolling pin, and cut it into strips about one centimeter wide using a knife. Hold both ends and pull them to the desired thickness.

　　Hollow Noodles: Apply some cooking oil to a relatively thin rolling pin, wrap the evenly rolled dough sheet around it, then coat the outside of the dough roll with a bit of cooking oil. After removing the rolling pin, continue stretching and pulling the dough repeatedly using the same method as for Guo Mian, resulting in Hollow Noodles.

　　When served with a good broth, Wu'an hand-pulled noodles are delicious yet not greasy, smooth yet chewy, making them a fine choice among noodle dishes. In 2003, they were recognized by Handan City as one of the “Top Ten Local Famous Snacks.”