Hand-Pulled Longevity Noodles with Sesame Chile Sauce

Ingredients

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix to combine bread flour and salt. Make a well in the center and add warm water. Mix with a flexible spatula to form a shaggy dough. Start kneading by hand in the bowl until all the dry bits of dough have been incorporated in the dough ball. Transfer to your counter and continue kneading by hand until you have a mostly smooth dough ball, about 8 minutes. Cover the dough ball with a damp kitchen towel or place a bowl over it. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes.
2. Roll out the dough into a 30-inch rope. Fold the dough in half and twist either end around each other. Knead the dough until the two ends of dough become one again, then roll the dough out into a 30-inch rope and repeat the twisting and roll process about 8 more times. Roll the dough out in a 16-inch rope one last time and then cut into 4 equal pieces. Cover the dough pieces with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
3. Drizzle oil over a rimmed sheet pan. Roll out each piece of dough into 30-inch (or longer if you can) ropes. Grease your hands with oil and roll up the dough into a coil on the sheet pan. Make sure to not roll up the coil too tight and that the surface of the dough, especially in between the coils, is well covered in oil to prevent sticking. Repeat with remaining dough and rub a little oil over top of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours. You can rest the dough in the fridge for up to 24 hours, just take it out 30 minutes before cooking.
4. If serving family style, in a large bowl or platter, whisk to combine sesame paste, chile oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. While whisking, slowly drizzle in water until the mixture is loose and creamy. If serving individual bowls, whisk everything together in a glass measuring pitcher and divide the sauce into 4 bowls.
5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Working with one coil of dough at a time, grab the end of the dough and stretch a section to double or even almost triple its length. Lower the stretched portion of dough into the water. Continue this stretching process until the whole noodle is in the water. Boil the noodles for 1 minute and then transfer directly to the chile sesame sauce. Repeat with remaining noodles.
6. Toss the noodles until fully coated and garnish with sesame seeds, cucumber, radish, and cilantro. Serve immediately while the sauce is beautiful and glossy.

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