Thick White Noodles In Soup Topped With Eggs And Scallions Recipes

Steps:

• In large stockpot, bring 4 gallons water to rolling boil. (Note: Even small quantities of noodles need to be cooked a lot of water.) Add noodles and begin timing after water has returned to boil. If cooking semidried udon, boil 8 to 9 minutes before testing; if cooking dried, boil 10 to 12 minutes. Test by plucking a noodle from pot, plunging it into cold water, then biting. Noodle should be tender with no hard core; outer surface should be slippery but not overly soft. (This condition is what the Japanese refer to as koshi, or "substance," just as the Italians enjoy their pasta al dente.) If necessary, cook for another minute and check again.
• If you will be serving noodles hot, scoop them up into a strainer and lift from pot to drain. (Do not pour off cooking liquid; boiling water in pot can be used both to re-heat noodles, and to warm bowls in which they will be served.)
• If you will be serving noodles cold, drain them.
• Whether serving noodles hot or cold, rinse them well under cold running water to remove surface starch that would otherwise make them gummy. Then drain.
• Set noodles aside until ready to eat - they can be held for up to several hours (refrigerate if holding for more than 20 minutes). When ready to use, rinse noodles in boiling hot water if serving them in hot soup, or cold water if serving chilled as a salad.
• Other dried wheat noodles similar to udon include flat kishimen or thinner hiyamugi. Boil these dried noodles for 5 to 6 minutes before checking for doneness.

Steps:

• Mix the dough by placing 3 cups of flour in a bowl and pouring in half the saltwater in a steady, slow stream. Gently stir to mix. Gradually drizzle in more of the salted water, stirring until the dough forms a slightly crumbly mass. Exert a bit of pressure to form the dough into a ball and place it in a closed plastic bag to rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate it for several hours or overnight.
• Sandwich the rested noodle dough between layers of heavy-duty plastic (a 6-foot plastic, oilcloth, or vinyl tablecloth, folded in half, works well). Place the plastic-enclosed dough on the floor, and stand barefoot on top of it. Press down with both feet - the whole surface of your feet, not just the heels - and gradually turn in a circular fashion, using small, stomping steps. As your body weight is applied, the dough will flatten out and stretch. Stop occasionally to remove and fold the dough with your hands, then sandwich it again between the layers of plastic cloth and repeat your foot-pressing activity. If necessary to prevent the dough from sticking to the plastic, sprinkle it with additional flour.
• After 4 or 5 minutes, when the dough feels elastic and has acquired a satiny sheen, do a final round of stomping to flatten it into a 1/4 inch-thick, more-or-less, oval shape.
• Transfer the dough to a large, lightly floured board. Alternating vertical and horizontal strokes, use a lightly floured rolling pin to stretch the dough into a large oval, about 1/8-inch thick, 1 foot wide, and about 1 1/2 feet long. If necessary, divide the dough in half and make two smaller ovals.
• Sprinkle the rolled-out dough liberally with flour, and fold it back on itself 4 or 5 times (like folding a paper fan, but do not crease or press the folded dough). Use a long, sharp knife to cut the dough into 1/4-inch-thick ribbons that are 1 1/2 feet long. Lightly dust the noodles with flour before lifting them from the board.
• Bring a very large pot of water to a rolling boil. Gently shake off excess flour from the noodles before lowering them into the pot. Stir the noodles to be sure they separate into individual strands. Cook at a steady boil for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Test a noodle by pulling it out of the pot and plunging it into cold water: It should be translucent, with no hard core, but still firm. If necessary, boil further, checking progress every 45 seconds or so.
• If you will be serving the noodles hot later, lift them from the pot, reserving the boiling water (either use a pasta insert, or scoop a strainer or colander under the noodles).
• If you will be serving the noodles cold, drain them.
• Whether you plan to serve the noodles hot or cold, rinse them well under cold running water to remove surface starch that would otherwise make them gummy.
• Set the noodles aside until ready to eat - they can be held for up to several hours (refrigerate if holding for more than 20 minutes). When ready to use, rinse noodles in boiling hot water if serving them in hot soup, or cold water if serving them chilled as a salad.

Steps:

• In a medium stockpot, combine the stock, soy sauce, and rice wine and heat to the point where small bubbles appear at the rim of the saucepan. Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt, if necessary.
• As you heat the soup, warm the bowls in which you will serve the noodles. Use a ladle to carefully scoop out boiling hot water from the pot in which the noodles were cooked and fill each serving bowl half way. Place a flat plate over the top of each bowl until ready to fill with noodles; this "lid" helps retain heat.
• Re-heat previously cooked, rinsed noodles: Place them in a deep, conical-shaped strainer (an Asian-style men koshi or a European-style chinois) and briefly dip them back in the boiling water two or three times. Jiggle and swish as you submerge them to separate any clusters. Lift the strainer out of the boiling water and shake and tap to remove excess water. (Or, place the noodles directly in the pot of boiling water, swish and stir, then strain them out into an ordinary colander.)
• Place the warmed noodles in the warmed bowls.
• Re-heat the seasoned soup stock until piping hot, then stir vigorously in a clockwise direction. Pour in the beaten eggs in a steady stream. Stir once in a counter-clockwise direction, then remove the pot from the stove.
• Top each portion of noodles with egg drop soup and some chopped scallions. Serve immediately with the grated ginger on the side.