https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2kesmAO8VU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoO2sLjt8Lg

Chinese egg noodles

wheat flour and egg

Like making ramen noodles, you will need an alkaline agent – either baked baking soda or lye water (aka “kansui” which is sold in bottles at Asian grocery stores).

• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Eggs
• Water
• Alkaline agent: either lye water (aka “kansui” which can be purchased from an Asian grocery store) or baking soda.

When we use alkaline water to make noodle dough, we get alkaline noodles like ramen which are chewier/bouncier than the softer noodles made without alkaline water.

• Alkaline noodles have a characteristic yellow color due to the higher pH levels. As the pH rises above 9.0, the yellow pigments that occur naturally in wheat react with the alkali salt to give the noodles it characteristic yellow color.

• Yes, you can use commercially produced food-grade lye water sold in Asian grocery stores. One popular brand is Koon Chun and is a solution containing Potassium Carbonate & Sodium Bi-Carbonate. This is the brand I use.

Do I have to bake the baking soda?

• While you can use regular (unbaked) baking soda to make alkaline noodles, the results won’t be as good as if you were to bake it first. Unbaked soda will still increase the pH of water, but not as much as baked soda.

How do I make baked baking soda?

1. Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C).

2. Spread one cup of baking soda onto a baking tray lined with aluminum foil or baking/parchment paper.

3. Bake the baking soda for 1 hour.

4. Remove the baking soda from the oven and when cooled, store in an airtight container and store indefinitely.

5. Mix dry ingredients: salt and flour.