One of Shanxi's four great noodle styles, made with a two-handled 60-centimetre blade that pushes rows of triangular-section strands directly off a dough sheet into boiling water below. Mastery is measured in strokes per minute: a champion recorded in 1964 hit 106, producing 630 noodle strands from a single session. The finished noodle is half a metre long, firm, and angled to grip sauce.
Knife-pushed noodles are listed among Shanxi's official Four Great Noodle Styles alongside 刀削面, 剔尖, and 拉面. The two-handled specialized blade is unique in Chinese noodle-making; no single founding account is documented, and the technique is broadly attributed to the Ming-Qing wheat-growing lowlands of central Shanxi. A celebrated 1964 culinary skills competition in Taiyuan—documented in contemporary culinary records—featured master 胡乃花 of 新道街面食馆 pushing 106 strokes per minute and producing 630 noodle strands from over five kilograms of dough. That performance entered the popular record as the canonical benchmark for the form.
Firm, long strands with a triangular cross-section; angular ridges grip sauce better than round noodles; longer chew than knife-cut noodles, with a pronounced wheaty depth.
A stiff, low-hydration dough (around 45% water-to-flour ratio) is rolled to a uniform 3 mm. The 2.5 kg double-handled blade is held at approximately 30° and pushed in a single fluid stroke, compressing and shearing the dough sheet simultaneously. The blade's weight provides the momentum needed for consistent clean separation without pulling or tearing. The triangular cross-section increases surface area compared with a round noodle of equivalent mass, allowing faster sauce uptake while the dense core retains a resilient chew.
Variations
Some cooks roll the sheet thicker for a more substantial bite; common sauces include braised pork with fermented bean (过油肉), tomato-egg, and minced lamb; a Datong variant produces slightly wider, flatter strands.
On the Palate
Where Knife-Pushed Noodles sits in the Chinese flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
7 steps · 45 min
- 130 min
Combine high-gluten flour and cold water (ratio 10:4.5 by weight); knead 10 minutes into a stiff, smooth dough, cover and rest 30 minutes.
Watch outKnead a stiff, low-hydration dough until smooth — too soft and the blade drags and tears instead of shaving clean strands.
- 28 min
Divide dough into two portions; roll each into a firm rectangle 3 mm thick and about 25 cm wide.
- 35 min
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil; position the pot directly below the edge of the cutting board.
- 41 min
Place one dough sheet flat on the board with one long edge hanging just over the pot.
- 55 min
Grip the double-handled blade with both hands; tilt it at 30° to the sheet surface and push forward in a firm, swift stroke to detach a noodle strand into the boiling water.
Watch outHold the blade at about 30° and push in one firm, swift stroke to shave each strand off into the boiling water — hesitate and the noodle comes out ragged or torn.
- 610 min
Move the blade laterally and repeat at a steady rhythm of 50–80 strokes per minute across the full width of the sheet.
- 73 min
Once all strands are in, cook for 2–3 minutes until they float and are tender but firm; drain and serve with braised pork sauce.
Watch outCook just 2–3 minutes until they float and are tender but firm — these are meant to keep a resilient chew, so don't overcook.
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