Xi’an Biang Biang Noodles Cooking Class

What to Expect

Xi’an’s iconic Biang Biang noodles, named for the slapping sound during preparation, are belt-wide with a chewy, smooth texture. Now you can master the art of making them yourself! During this 3-hour hands-on experience at a time-honored Xi’an noodle restaurant, you’ll make and enjoy your fruits of labor just like a local. A professional English-speaking guide will accompany you throughout the experience, capturing memorable photos, and sharing insider tips on local eating customs. After the meal, learn to write the complex “biang” character and take your calligraphy as a souvenir.

Itinerary Arrangement - From 14:00 to 17:00

At 14:00, your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby and take you to this well-known noodle restaurant, which is always bustling with diners during meal times and draws many people from far and wide.

When you arrive, the aroma of hot chili oil already fills the kitchen, and you can hear the sound of dough being slapped against the dough board. The chef will greet you warmly and then show you what the cooks are busy doing.Then we will start making the dough. First, add flour, water and salt in the correct proportions, mix well, and knead until the dough comes together. As you knead, you'll feel the dough gradually turn smooth and elastic. And the chef will be right there to help you. Once the dough is ready, we will divide it into small pieces and brush a layer of oil over the surface so that they do not stick together while resting.

Then, set the dough aside to ferment for about 30 minutes. During this time, your guide will explain the essence of Biangbiang noodles: the simpler, the more aromatic. Authentic Xi’an noodles typically have three components: hot chili oil, minced garlic, and vinegar. The chili is made from Shaanxi’s local pepper, which is fragrant but not too spicy. Finely chopped garlic allows its flavor to penetrate the noodles. And the vinegar, fermented from a blend of grains in the Shaanxi tradition, is tangy and aromatic, yet refreshingly smooth without being harsh. With these simple seasonings, you can even savor the wheat’s natural sweet fragrance.If you prefer a richer taste, the chef will show you how to make a tomato-egg topping. After the noodles are ready later, you can add it over the oil-coated noodles for a blend of spicy and sweet-sour layers.

Then we need to roll each piece of fermented dough into an oval shape with even width and thickness. Now comes the most critical step, pulling the noodles. Hold both ends of the dough piece, gently stretch it, and then slap it firmly against the dough board. At this moment you will hear the famous sound of “biangbiang”. It is normal for your first few attempts to break or to turn out uneven. The chef will help adjust your technique and you will succeed after several tries. It may surprise you that a typical bowl of Biangbiang noodles contains only one or two strips, because each strip can be as long as your arm span and as wide as a belt.Once pulled, the wide, thick noodles go into boiling water and cook for about five minutes. Meanwhile you can start preparing the seasoning bowl. Put light soy sauce and vinegar at the bottom, then add chili powder, chopped scallions and garlic. In another small pot, oil is being heated. Once the noodles are cooked, put them into the bowl, sprinkle with garnishes, and pour a ladle of the sizzling hot oil over the top. The loud sizzle and the burst of fragrance make this the most satisfying moment of the whole experience.

When the noodles are mixed, you can try pairing them with a garlic clove. Shaanxi locals believe, “Noodles without garlic lose half their flavor.” Bite the garlic, take a big mouthful of noodles, then sip the soup to finish the meal.Once you’ve savored every delicious bite of your handmade noodles, it is time to do something even more interesting: learning to write the character “biang”. As one of the most complex Chinese characters, it contains 57 strokes and neither the input methods of computer keyboards nor mobile phones can produce it. Writing this single character takes about one to two minutes, longer than writing your own name ten times. You can then take your calligraphy work home or leave it on the restaurant’s display wall. Don’t forget to take a photo of yourself with your work as a keepsake.

After completing this enjoyable experience, your guide will take you back to your hotel. If you wish to continue exploring Xi'an sights or local delicacies, simply ask your guide for recommendations.

► Biang Biang Noodles Trivia:
It was, in fact, born of poverty. Before China's reform and opening-up in 1978, locals subsisted on coarse grains. To make them more palatable, they made a heavy, salty, spicy, and oily sauce with minced garlic, salt, chili oil, and soy sauce to eat with. Life later improved, but the taste remained, becoming a sensory hallmark of local cuisine. Back then, intense labor and sweating helped flush out the excess salt. Today, people eat the same bowl of such noodles but get little exercise, inviting early risks of diabetes, hypertension, and stroke. This has also driven the local incidence rate to among the highest in the country. Of course, an occasional indulgence is fine.