Hand-Pulled Noodles

A specialty of northern China, deserve mention, especially if you have seen a chef begin with a large mass of dough and begin to pull, twist, and fold it into noodles. A skilled pair of hands can yield fine strands within minutes. This craft is best left to the experts of noodle making. The rest of us can buy high-quality noodles (or, if really inspired, make some noodles with a rolling pin and knife or pasta machine). I have not included a section for dried wheat noodles, as they’re rarely used in Southeast Asian cooking. Instant noodles, however, have become as common there as they have on college campuses across the U.S.