Shrine Kitchen

Mindful Home Cooking

Knife-Cut Noodles

Knife-cut noodles(刀削麵) is a noodle dish from Jin cuisine of northern China, mainly Shanxi(山西) Province. Noodles are cut from a block with a special knife and boiled, then served with toppings and sauce. Knife-cut noodles are wider in the center and thin on the edges, giving them a nice texture.

Knife-cut noodles are made from a firm cylinder of dough. You can make an extra large dough cylinder and store it in the fridge, then when it’s time to make noodles just take it out to shave off as much as needed.

A special curved blade is used to slice or shave noodles from the block, with the dough held firmly in one hand and the blade in the other hand. A sharp knife can be used but will be more difficult to work with and the noodle shape will be different. The blade cuts diagonally against the dough, slicing and shaving off a straight strip. It is traditionally cut directly into boiling water, then the cooked noodles can be strained, topped, and served.

Knife-cut noodles are commonly served with minced meat sauce(肉臊子) or sometimes tomato sauce. Typically some greens can be added such as shredded cucumber, coriander leaf for garnish, or baby bok choy.

This vegan recipe below uses mushrooms for an umami sauce similar to traditional minced meat sauce.

knife-cut noodles made with straight kitchen knife
knife-cut noodles with mushroom sauce

Knife-Cut Noodles(刀削麵) Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 cup all-purpose wheat flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 ½ cup water
  • minced sauce(臊子) or another sauce
  • 1 cucumber, trimmed and cut into matchsticks, or baby bok choy, loosely chopped (optional)
  • coriander for garnish (optional)

Directions

  • combine flour, salt
  • gradually mix in water and knead until combined
  • rest dough 30 minutes
  • knead until smooth
  • rest dough 30 minutes
  • knead and roll into tight cylinder
  • use or store in refrigerator until ready to use
  • cut noodles from block directly into boiling water (or cut noodles first then boil)
  • cook 2 to 5 minutes
  • strain noodles
  • add sauce, cucumber, and/or garnish
  • serve

Vegan Minced Sauce(臊子) Recipe

Ingredients

  • spices: star anise, cassia bark or cinnamon, sichuan peppercorn, bay leaf, tsao-ko(草果)[substitute cardamom] (optional)
  • dried chili, toasted and crushed, or chili powder (optional)
  • 4 clove garlic
  • 2 tbsp piece ginger
  • 2 – 4 scallion
  • 8 fresh shiitake
  • fragrant rice vinegar(陳醋 / 香醋)
  • dark soy sauce(老抽)
  • salt
  • water

Directions

  • toast spices, chili
  • cool and transfer to spice bag
  • saute garlic, ginger, scallion, mushroom
  • add vinegar
  • add soy sauce, salt, water, spice bag
  • simmer 15 to 60 minutes
  • remove from heat
  • remove spice bag
  • serve