Biang Biang Noodles

The actual birthplace of biang biang noodles is in central China, in Shaanxi province. They used to be more of a peasant-type noodle, but now they’re pretty much ubiquitous in Shaanxi and especially in Xi’an, the capital. There are a bunch of theories on the name—that it comes from the sound the noodles make when you bang them on the table or the sound that people make when they eat the noodles—and even more theories on why the Chinese character for biang is so complex (it’s made up of 58 strokes).

But really, all you need to know about biang biang noodles is that they’re good. They’re hearty and hold up well when fried, tossed, and added to soups. We even like to go a little crazy and use them where you’d typically use pasta.

• 10 oz all purpose flour about 2⅓ cups
• 1/4 tsp salt
• neutral oil as needed