These chewy Japanese wheat-based noodles are often served with hot broth as a soup or stir-fried. Or, simply cook and serve with soy sauce and mirin, and garnish with chopped scallions and shaved nori.
Chef's notes
Note: These noodles are excellent as leftovers and they freeze well. To freezer, form small piles or 'nests' on a plate or sheet pan (portion size), and place in freezer. Once piles are frozen, store them in ziplock bags. Add frozen noodles directly to hot water or soup to cook for a quick meal.
Steps
1
Preparing the Dough
Ingredients
2 3/4 cups AP flour
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup warm water
1/3 cup corn, tapioca starch, or potato starch for dusting
To prepare the dough, in a bowl, dissolve the sea salt in warm water. In a separate mixing bowl, add the flour.
Next, make a well in the flour bowl and pour about 1/2 of the water into the well. Mix with both hands and all fingers, scraping the bottom of the bowl as you mix until the water is incorporated.
At this point, add about 1/2 of the remaining water and continue to mix until the dough begins to separate into strands. Finally, add the rest of the water and mix and squeeze the dough together until it binds into a ball. The dough will not be smooth at this point but will begin to show elasticity. Let the dough rest in the bowl for 30 minutes.
2
Kneading the Dough
To knead the dough, on the countertop, sprinkle on a bit of the starch, just enough to prevent the dough from sticking. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on the lightly–dusted counter. Knead until very smooth and shiny, about 8 to 10 minutes. At this point, form the dough into a tight ball. Place the dough ball into a clean bowl, cover with a cloth or plastic wrap and allow to rest for 2 to 3 hours before rolling.
3
Rolling Out the Dough & Cutting the Noodles
To roll out the dough, sprinkle some starch on the counter and roll out until the dough is 1/8 inch thick. Note that the noodles will expand when they cook.
Before cutting the noodles, sprinkle the dough lightly again with starch and spread over the entire dough surface. Grasp the far edge of the dough and fold it in half toward you to meet the close edge. Sprinkle and spread some more starch and bring the far edge toward you again, folding in half a second time. Spread some more starch on the top and let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.
Once the dough has rested, apply a slightly heavier amount of starch on top and some additional starch on the counter. This will help make sure the noodles do not stick together when cutting.
With a sharp chef’s or similar large knife, begin cutting the dough crosswise into noodles 1/8 inch wide. After cutting the noodles, separate to prevent them from sticking together, using more starch as needed.
Set the noodles aside on a dusted counter or tray until ready to cook. Or store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to about 3 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
4
Cooking the Noodles
Cook the noodles in boiling water (no salt added), stirring occasionally. The total cook time is about 7-10 minutes. Test for doneness before removing from water. Lift them out with a spider, place them in a bowl, and rinse under cold water to remove excess starch. Strain and hold for service.
