We all love Xi’an-style Biang Biang noodles, as popularized in the United States by Xi’an Famous Foods in New York City. We all love that slick, full-body chewiness that defines what success should taste like when it comes to Asian wheat noodles. As a silver lining, Beijing happens to be a loving cradle of this type of noodle. Even in times when I’ve had to list Beijing as my permanent address—in what can only be described as a bone-chilling reckoning of regrettable life choices—I could look down on my proper bowl of Biang Biang noodles and say, “This doesn’t fucking cut it, but it makes it better.”
You can make great Biang Biang noodles at home. In fact, I’ve published recipes for them on my blog, twice. But a nagging imperfection remains—not within the recipes but in the flow of execution. To stretch the noodles uniformly one after another and drop them into the boiling water as you go—which is usually how it’s done in restaurants—requires skills not possessed by most home cooks, including myself. And to prestretch each noodle beforehand and let it lie flat and separate from other noodles to prevent sticking occupies too much counter space.
So ladies and gents, let me introduce you to The Soloist.
One noodle, one serving: a single super-wide and super-long flap of perfect chewiness all lubed up in a thick and spicy smoky eggplant sauce, then swathed in the indispensable My Ultimate Chile Oil. To go from tip to end, or divide and conquer? That’s about as much freedom as one will enjoy in China.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: stand mixer with a dough hook
DOUGH (I strongly recommend measuring by weight)
2½ cups (363 g) flour with 10 to 11 percent protein (I like to combine 1¼ cups all-purpose flour and 1¼ cups bread flour)
¾ teaspoon (6 g) table salt
¾ cup plus 1½ tablespoons (200 g) water
Canola oil, for the dough
SMOKY EGGPLANT AND SPICY MISO SAUCE
2 medium (500 g) Asian eggplants
¼ cup (60 mL) canola oil
Loose ¼ cup (38 g) sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 small shallots, peeled
¼ cup (75 g) medium/yellow miso paste
2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chile paste)
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons rice wine
¼ cup (60 mL) packaged chicken stock
1 tablespoon fish sauce
¾ teaspoon light brown sugar
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
Pickled Chilies, diced
TO FINISH
Finely diced scallions
MAKE THE DOUGH
1. In a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, combine the flour, salt, and water and knead for 10 minutes on medium-high speed, until a soft, supple, and elastic dough has formed. The dough should be just dry enough to pull away cleanly from the bottom and sides of the bowl while the machine is running but still slightly tacky to the touch and very soft. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 2 hours.
2. After resting, divide the dough into 4 equal portions and rub each generously with canola oil. Shape each piece of dough into a long, flat rectangle (about 6 x 2 inches/15 x 5 cm), rub it generously again with oil, and cover it with plastic wrap. The dough should rest for at least another 30 minutes to let the gluten relax again, or it won’t stretch properly and will tear during cooking. (You can also prepare the dough up to this stage the day before and leave it covered with plastic wrap in the fridge, but be sure to let the dough come back to room temperature before stretching. Unused dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days.)
MAKE THE SMOKY EGGPLANT AND SPICY MISO SAUCE
3. Set a grilling rack on top of a stovetop burner and turn the heat on high. Place the eggplants directly on top and burn until the skins are completely charred through. Every inch of the skin should be completely blackened (if not, it will be very difficult to peel) and the flesh should be cooked, soft, and juicy.
4. Transfer the eggplants to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sweat and cool for 1 hour. You’ll see a puddle of smoky brown water at the bottom of the bowl; reserve 2 tablespoons and discard the rest. To remove the burned eggplant skin, I like to have a small stream of water running from the faucet as I peel it so that I can rinse my hands as I go. Don’t worry if there are some tiny burned speckles left on the flesh. Roughly chop the eggplants and set them aside in the bowl with the smoky water.
5. Meanwhile, in a food processor, process the oil, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and shallots until finely minced (or you can do this by chopping if you prefer). Transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant, stirring constantly. Add the miso paste, gochujang, cumin, and black pepper and take the pan off the heat while you mash the mixture together. Set the pan back on medium heat to cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the rice wine and cook for 30 seconds, until the alcohol evaporates. Add the stock, fish sauce, and brown sugar and sprinkle the unflavored gelatin over the surface. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes, until the gelatin has fully melted.
6. Stir the Pickled Chilies (how many? when in doubt, add a couple more) into the sauce, then pour the sauce over the chopped eggplants. Use two forks to mash the eggplant into the sauce. You’ll have a bowl of red, slightly thick and oily awesomeness. I recommend letting the sauce sit for at least 1 hour before using. (You can make it ahead and refrigerate; just reheat before serving.)
TO FINISH
7. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, on an oiled countertop, gently stretch a piece of dough out by pulling on both ends. It should stretch very easily, and don’t worry about it being perfectly even. When you have a very long and thick strand, use the palms of your hands to press the dough out even thinner and wider, but be careful not to make it so thin that you can see through the dough. You should have a single, super-long noodle that’s about 2 inches (5 cm) wide and 50 inches (127 cm) long. Gently lift the noodle and drop it into the boiling water. When the water comes back to a boil, cook for 40 to 50 seconds, until the whole noodle is floating on the water (during this time you can prep your next noodle). Remove the noodle with a slotted spoon, drain well, and set aside in a serving bowl. Repeat with the remaining noodle dough pieces.
8. Slather each noodle generously with smoky eggplant and spicy miso sauce and top with chile oil and finely diced scallions. Slurp immediately.