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Tian shui mian
甜水面: thick, chewy Chengdu noodles tossed with sweet spiced soy, chilli oil, raw garlic and sesame
Tian shui mian, "sweet water noodles", are a fixture of Chengdu's old snack houses around Wenshu Monastery, ordered at lunch in a small bowl alongside dumplings and wontons. The noodles are cut as thick as chopsticks, cooked chewy and served at room temperature, coated in thick spiced soy syrup, red chilli oil, pounded raw garlic and sesame: sweet first, then hot and garlicky. Chef's tip: simmer the sweet soy until syrupy; if it is thin it runs to the bottom of the bowl instead of clinging to the noodles.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the noodles
- 10 ½ oz plain flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tbsp cornflourfor dusting
- 1 tsp sesame oil
For the sweet soy
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 ⅛ oz brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cinnamon sticksmall piece
- 2 fresh gingerslices
- ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns
To serve
- 1 tbsp water
- 4 tbsp chilli oil with sediment
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 10 ½ oz plain flour, ½ tsp salt and ¾ cup water and knead for 5 minutes, until smooth and firm. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
25 minStep 2: Simmer ½ cup soy sauce, 2 ⅛ oz brown sugar, ¼ cup water, 1 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 fresh ginger and ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns for 10 minutes, until reduced by a third and syrupy. Strain and cool; it thickens as it cools.
12 minStep 3: Pound 6 garlic cloves with 1 tbsp water to a loose paste.
3 minStep 4: Roll the dough to 5 mm thick, dust with 2 tbsp cornflour and cut into 5 mm strips, so each noodle is square and about as thick as a chopstick.
8 minStep 5: Cook in plenty of boiling water for 6–8 minutes, until no chalky white core remains when you bite one. Common mistake: cutting them thin; they should be chunky and chewy. Drain and toss with 1 tsp sesame oil.
8 minStep 6: Divide between bowls and top each with about 1½ tbsp sweet soy, 1 tbsp 4 tbsp chilli oil with sediment, a spoonful of garlic paste and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds. Mix well and eat warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 78 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tian shui mian take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of cornflour?
- Arrowroot or potato starch, same amount.
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