Homemade Lagman Noodles

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather the ingredients you'll need. I used amounts for two servings, but it's worth making more. Leftovers can always be frozen and kept in the freezer in a tightly sealed bag. By making noodles ahead, you'll save yourself effort and cooking time the next time around.

2. Step 2:

   

   Sift the flour together with table salt into a deep bowl. This aerates it, making the dough more tender and easy to work with. Make a well in the center and crack in one large egg. It's best to use a farm egg with a bright orange yolk, which gives the noodles a lovely yellow color. Gently mix the flour with the egg using a spoon, then continue kneading by hand.

3. Step 3:

   

   Pour the cold water and odorless vegetable oil into the bowl. Knead an elastic, fairly stiff, smooth dough that doesn't stick to your hands. Add as much flour as you need to reach the right consistency. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave it for 30 minutes so the gluten develops. The dough will become more pliable and won't tear when you roll it out. While the dough rests, knead it down four times.

4. Step 4:

   

   Dust the work surface with flour. Turn the dough out of the bowl and roll it into a thin sheet. The thinner you roll it, the tastier and more tender the noodles will be. Dust with a little flour as needed, but don't overdo it, or the dough will get stiffer and harder to roll out.

5. Step 5:

   

   Dust the thinly rolled sheet of dough well with flour on both sides. Roll it up into a loose roll. With a long, sharp knife, cut thin rings 3–4 mm wide and separate them into strands. If they stick together, dust them with more flour. Spread them out on a tray or a large cutting board (also dusted with flour). Leave them to dry for 10–15 minutes, then turn them over so they dry on the other side too.

6. Step 6:

   

   Bring water to a boil in a wide pot. Salt it. Add 1–2 tablespoons of vegetable oil so the noodles don't stick together. Cook the homemade noodles for about 3–4 minutes after the water returns to a boil. Taste them. It's important that the noodles are cooked through but not overcooked. How do you know they're done? Taste them — they should be springy but not tough. Drain them in a colander, rinse with cold boiled water, and let the liquid drain off. Serve the dish right away, while it's hot.