Okay, so today I wanted to try my hand at making some mala market knife-cut noodles. I’ve seen these things all over the internet and they just looked so darn good, I had to give them a go. Plus, who doesn’t love a good noodle dish, right?
Getting Started
First things first, I had to gather all my ingredients. I already had most of the stuff at home, like flour, salt, and water – the basics for the dough. But I did have to run to the store to grab a few things for the sauce. I picked up some chili oil, soy sauce, black vinegar, garlic, and green onions. Oh, and some Sichuan peppercorns, because you can’t have mala without that numbing spice!
Making the Dough
Alright, time to get my hands dirty. I dumped a couple of cups of flour into a big bowl, added a pinch of salt, and slowly started mixing in some water. I just kind of eyeballed the water, adding a little bit at a time until the dough started to come together. It’s a pretty stiff dough, so it took some serious elbow grease to knead it into a smooth ball. Once it was all nice and smooth, I covered it with a damp cloth and let it rest for about 30 minutes. That gives the gluten a chance to relax a bit, making it easier to work with later.
Shaping the Noodles
After the dough had its little rest, it was time to turn it into noodles. Now, traditionally, these noodles are cut directly into boiling water. But honestly, I was a little intimidated by that, so I decided to roll out the dough first and then cut it into strips. I dusted my countertop with flour, rolled out the dough until it was pretty thin, and then used a big knife to cut it into wide ribbons. They weren’t perfectly uniform, but hey, that’s part of the charm of homemade noodles, right?
Cooking the Noodles
While I was cutting the noodles, I had a big pot of water boiling on the stove. Once the water was at a rolling boil, I carefully dropped the noodles in. They only took a few minutes to cook – you want them to be al dente, not mushy. Once they were done, I quickly fished them out with a strainer and rinsed them under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Whipping Up the Sauce
Okay, the noodles are cooked, now for the best part – the sauce! In a bowl, I combined a good amount of chili oil (I like it spicy!), soy sauce, a splash of black vinegar, some minced garlic, chopped green onions, and a sprinkle of ground Sichuan peppercorns. I gave it all a good mix, tasted it, and adjusted the seasonings until it was just right. It was spicy, savory, tangy, and had that signature mala numbing sensation – perfect!
Putting It All Together
Finally, it was time to bring everything together. I tossed the cooked noodles with the sauce, making sure every strand was coated in that deliciousness. And there you have it – my homemade mala market knife-cut noodles! They were a little messy, a little rustic, but oh so satisfying. The noodles had a great chewy texture, and the sauce was packed with flavor. Definitely a success, and something I’ll be making again soon.
Honestly, the whole process was a lot of fun, and not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. I definitely recommend giving it a shot if you’re a fan of spicy noodles. Just be prepared to get a little flour on your nose and maybe sweat a little from the heat!
- Would I make it again? For sure! It is a delicious bowl of comfort food.
- Was it difficult? Not really, just a bit of work kneading the dough.
- Would I change anything? Maybe try cutting the noodles directly into the boiling water next time, for a more authentic experience, but overall the dish was pretty tasty!
