“절면” is a type of noodle that is made by a dough being rolled into thin sheets and then folded and sliced into a noodle shape. A knife can be used when cutting the noodle shape.
I refer to these noodles as knife-cut noodles because that is a type of noodle that falls under this category. Another noodle I would put under this category is hand-pulled noodles (수제비). 수제비 is made by pulling pieces of dough off by hand and simmering them in hot water.
절면 noodles have a plush and chewy texture. These noodles traditionally are made by hand but can be made by a machine as well.
Tips For Making 절면 Dough
Historically, buckwheat was used more than flour in Korea because it was more available. Previously 절면 was made with buckwheat flour mixed with starch or egg and hot water to make a dough. Now that flour is more available, 절면 is made with either all-purpose flour (밀가루) or hard flour/bread flour (찰밀가루). It can still be made with buckwheat; just flour is popular.
When you make 절면 dough, you need to knead the dough well. Some use a rolling pin (홍두깨) or a heavy pipe to smash down the dough. This increases the tension of the dough. It makes the final noodles chewier and tighter. If you don’t use a rolling pin, double bag your dough and step on it to knead it easily.
After kneading the dough, you need to let the gluten rest, or it will not roll out. Put the dough in the fridge to rest for 2-3 hours to overnight in an airtight bag in the fridge.
Once you are ready to roll out the dough take it out and roll it while it is still cold, don’t wait for it to come to room temperature or it can get too elastic. Roll it out using a rolling pin as thin as you can, about 1/8 of an inch, then fold it and slice it into about 1/4 in thick noodles.
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