Chinese Noodles AKA Alkaline Noodles

Last week I posted my tutorial on how to make Chicken Bouillon Powder from scratch.  This is the second part of that post as promised.  In this post, I will show you how I made Ramen Noodles.  You can use these noodles to make your own Ramen Noodle jars that just require adding water.  Or you can use them in any Asian inspired noodle dish.  We really enjoyed them as a Lo Mein meal.

I have to say, I did not come up with this recipe on my own and I'm not sure the exact science behind it.  I simply followed THIS VIDEO step by step and then used my Kitchenaid to help form the pasta.

You will need:

2 tsp baking soda
slightly less than 1/2 cup warm water
2 cups bread flour

Directions:

To "alkalize" your baking soda, simply place your measured baking soda onto parchment paper or a silicone mat and place in the oven at 250 degrees for 1 hour.  Try not to handle the powder after it is baked as it could irritate your skin. Dissolve the powder into about 1/2 cup of warm water.  Next, combine with 2 cups of bread flour.  If you do not have bread flour, try using all purpose flour and adding about 2 tbsp vital wheat gluten.  If nothing else, use just plain all purpose flour though it may not stretch as well.

Knead the dough until smooth.  Wrap in plastic and let it rest for an hour. I used my pasta roller to help me knead the dough as it will be very stiff.  Resist the urge to add more water.  

After it has rested, run it through a pasta roller to make sure it it nice and flat and smooth.  Alternatively, you can simply roll it to your desired thickness.  I ran mine through the smallest noodle setting - similar to angel hair.  It turned out fantastic!  Let dry on racks until completely dry and then store in an air tight container.

To make Lo Mein I simply boiled the noodles for about 5 minutes in chicken stock.  Then I tossed with freshly sauteed veggies, sauteed chicken, and a Teriyaki sauce.  It was a huge hit in my family.  

I also DID make my own Ramen Noodle jars.  They are fantastic for quick lunches or when you're feeling sick.  Simply place 1 tsp of bouillon powder and a good handful of noodles in a mason jar and store with the lid on.  When you are ready to eat, just add about a cup of hot water and microwave for about 2 minutes.  Voila!