The Production Process Of Hand-Pulled Noodles
The production process of handmade thin noodles involves repeated kneading and fermentation to maximize the development of gluten in the dough. During the kneading and stretching process, the gluten develops its optimal viscoelastic properties. During drying, the noodles undergo three stages—pre-drying, moisture retention, and gradual drying—to ensure complete gelatinization of the starch. This process is crucial for achieving the desired characteristics of the noodles: they remain separate and non-sticky, and have a smooth, soft texture after cooking.
(1) Kneading the dough
Mixing the dough is the first step in making handmade noodles. Water, salt, and other additives are added to the flour, and the mixture is kneaded and stirred by a dough mixer for a certain period. This allows the non-soluble proteins in the flour to absorb water and swell, gradually forming a moist gluten network with elasticity, extensibility, and plasticity. Simultaneously, the starch in the flour absorbs water, transforming the non-plastic flour into a workable dough.
The purpose of dough maturation (fermentation) is to further develop the gluten structure in the dough, allowing the proteins in the flour to fully absorb water and expand, thus maximizing gluten formation. It also helps to relieve any stress or tension in the dough caused by kneading or stretching, and releases trapped air bubbles, achieving the effect of degassing.
图1 自动搓圆机示意图
第四次熟化（约4h），熟化时间具体取决于成熟过程和天气情况。
使面条从可塑型逐步转化为弹性型。
After approximately 1 hour, the noodles are taken out of the conditioning chamber and stretched to about 50 cm.
After attempting the stretching process, adjustments are made to the equipment based on years of experience to ensure efficient noodle stretching.
The noodles are then placed back into the conditioning chamber for the fifth conditioning cycle, lasting approximately 15 hours.
The stretching process uses two stretching machines: a large one and a small one. These machines transport the bundled noodles horizontally forward, while simultaneously employing several vertically reciprocating forks along the path. As the noodle bundle passes through these forks, the lower rod is held in place, while the upper rod is pulled upwards by the fork. This stretching occurs to a specific length (the distance between the two rods) before being released and the bundle continues moving forward.
After taking the noodles out of the conditioning chamber, they are stretched repeatedly, increasing the length by approximately 250mm each time, until they reach a final length of about 1.4 meters.
The purpose of drying is to reduce the moisture content of the noodles to 12%, thus stabilizing the viscoelasticity of the gluten in the noodles and maintaining their shape.
Figure 1: Installation: Place 8 to 9 portions of the cut noodles onto the drying rack ("hata").
Figure 2: Stretching: Extend the noodles on the "hata" to approximately 1.6m.
Figure 3: Stretching: Gradually extend the noodles from 1.6m to 2m.
Figure 4: Manual spreading: Place a large quantity of noodles on the "hata" and spread them evenly.
Figure 5: Control: Monitor the temperature and humidity in the drying room, as well as the airflow from the ceiling fans.
Figure 6: Drying completed: After ensuring that the entire "hata" is evenly dried, check for any abnormalities, such as noodles sticking together.
The drying process strictly follows three stages:
① Pre-drying: This stage allows the noodles to gradually release moisture, with the surface moisture evaporating slowly. Simultaneously, the noodles are stretched to the desired diameter and length, allowing the gluten in the noodles to reach maximum viscoelasticity and forming the initial shape. The temperature in the drying chamber during this stage is generally 25°C, with a relative humidity of approximately 70-80%.
② Moisture retention and controlled evaporation: This stage allows moisture inside the noodles to evaporate from the inside out, preventing surface crusting and maintaining the capillary structure of the noodles. During this process, as moisture continues to evaporate, the noodles shrink. Therefore, the distance between the two support rods should be gradually shortened to loosen the noodles and prevent breakage. The temperature in the drying chamber during this stage is 30°C, with a relative humidity of approximately 65-75%.
③ Final drying and stabilization: This stage fixes the internal structure and shape of the noodles. The temperature in the drying chamber during this stage is between 40-42°C, with a relative humidity of approximately 55-60%.
(11) Cut off
After drying, the noodles are cut into 190mm lengths to form the finished product. Then, any short or irregularly shaped noodles are removed through a sorting process, before being sent to the packaging warehouse.
(12) Packaging
Weigh out 50 grams of the cut noodles, bundle them together, and then package them. The "hand-pulled noodles" are now ready.
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