Five Rules to Boiling Noodles

Appears in

Xi'an Famous Foods: The Cuisine of Western China, from New York's Favorite Noodle Shop

Published 2020

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Whether you’re working with dried noodles or fresh, store-bought or homemade, the steps are the same. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop in the noodles, and never, ever break these rules:

Make sure the water is at a rapid boil and there’s enough room to allow the noodles to separate and “swim freely.”
Don’t salt the water. We’re not Italian.
Use chopsticks or tongs to make sure the strands don’t stick to the bottom. This is especially important when you first drop the noodles in.
Test (aka eat a strand), and make sure it’s “QQ,” a common Chinese phrase that means chewy or toothy. Basically, our version of al dente. Don’t overcook.
Change the water if you are cooking more than two batches. Once the water gets too starchy and bubbly, the noodles will cook differently, so after a few servings, start a fresh pot.

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