Chewy wheat noodles and tender steamed wheat gluten are tossed with a fragrant, nutty sesame sauce, numbing Sichuan pepper, and spicy chili oil. Crisp fresh aromatics complete this naturally vegan street food classic with vibrant flavors and textures in every bite.
Total time: 7 h 13 min • Active: 1 h 47 min • Inactive: 5 h 26 min
Combine all-purpose flour, water, and fine salt in a large bowl to make dough for liang pi noodles and wheat gluten. Mix well, add extra water by tablespoon if needed, and gather into a dough.Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic.Let the kneaded dough rest, covered, for 1 hour to allow gluten to develop and relax.Place the rested dough in a large bowl of water and wash it, kneading and rinsing until the water turns murky white. Reserve this first batch of starchy water in another bowl for noodles. Continue replacing water and washing the dough until the water runs clear (about 5-7 minutes).Let the reserved starchy water from washing dough sit undisturbed for 4-5 hours (or overnight) so the starch settles and water separates.Combine Chinese sesame paste (or tahini), toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, dark soy sauce, ground Sichuan pepper, five-spice, and warm water in a bowl. Mix well until smooth.Carefully ladle off the top clear layer of water, leaving behind only the settled starch batter.Ladle the starch batter into a lightly-greased flat-bottomed pan to cover the surface, then steam over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until translucent. Remove sheet and repeat with the rest of the batter.Cut the steamed noodle sheets into strips about 2 cm wide for serving.Flatten the washed gluten into a flat layer suitable for steaming.Steam the flattened wheat gluten on medium-high heat for 20-25 minutes until firm and slightly springy, but not soft or gummy.Slice cooled steamed wheat gluten into thin pieces for topping.Assemble: Place liang pi noodle strips in a bowl, top with thinly sliced wheat gluten. Ladle on sesame sauce and chili oil. Finish with grated garlic and sliced scallion.
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