Mian is a traditional Chinese noodle made by repeatedly stretching and folding a cylinder of dough. It originated in western China and is commonly served in soup. The dough is made of wheat flour and water, and different chefs have their own techniques for stretching and thinning the noodles. It is believed to be the precursor of many other Asian noodle dishes.
Mian refers to hand-pulled noodles using traditional Chinese techniques. Chefs who have mastered the skill are prized as both culinary and performance artists. A cylinder of dough is repeatedly stretched and folded to multiply it into progressively thinner strands. The principle, as well as the aesthetics of the process, is similar to forming a large pizza dough. Fresh noodle noodles are cooked in broth and served in a variety of ways, most commonly in a soup.
In Chinese, mian means “noodle”, and translates it as “to pull”. While quick-service la mian restaurants are found throughout China and elsewhere, the style of preparation originated in western China. The plain noodles kept well in drying and were an important source of starch. Many of western China’s provinces are ethnic Muslims, including the northern Hui, or Uyghur. La mian noodles appealed to their need for halal or religiously permitted food.
Lanzhou is the capital of the northwestern province of Gansu. Most noodle shops identify with serving mian in the Lanzhou style. There are other distinctly regional styles that differ in the preparation, texture of the noodles, and their serving presentation. The dish has even migrated to other countries adjacent to China.
The ingredients for the pasta dough are simple: wheat flour and water. Turning the dough into noodles, however, isn’t that simple. The dough must be kneaded exactly to allow the gluten proteins to make the dough elastic. Different chefs may have their own signature techniques for stretching and thinning the dough into noodles. There are also conventionally regional methods.
Among the most common maneuvers, a cylinder of dough is gripped by its ends and stretched by twirling it like jumping a skipping rope. It can also be stretched by snapping up and sharply back to slap a lightly floured work table. The stretched dough is folded over and the ends are brought together. This is spun, twisted together. A finger is inserted through the bottom ring and the twisted dough is pulled apart to break up the crease.
An experienced cook can repeat these motions over and over fairly quickly. With each repetition, the number of noodle strands doubles, becoming progressively thinner. At the end, a hundred noodles, each one as thin as angel hair pasta, is not uncommon. The most popular way to eat it is to boil the noodles briefly in broth and serve as soup.
Mian believes that many researchers are the ancient precursor of many noodle dishes common throughout Asia. Though created differently, Korean raeon and Japanese ramen are very similar in finished form. The noodles are also commonly used as a stir-fry. During summer, mian can be served cold with salad dressing and vinegar dressing.
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