Laghman (拉条子, la tiao zi, literally pulled strips) is the hand-pulled noodle dish of the Uyghur people of Xinjiang — long, thick, hand-stretched noodles served with a meat sauce of braised lamb, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and Xinjiang spices (cumin, coriander, black pepper). The noodles are made using a specific pulling technique: a thick rope of dough is stretched between the hands, then swung and pulled repeatedly, doubling in length with each pass, until the desired thickness is achieved. The dish is a direct relative of the Central Asian laghman found in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Afghanistan — reflecting the shared culinary heritage of the Silk Road.
The laghman dough: 300g bread flour (high-protein — the gluten must be very strong to withstand the pulling), 170ml lukewarm water, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp neutral oil. Knead 15 minutes. Rest 1 hour covered. The dough must be very smooth and highly elastic. The pulling technique: Divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each into a 30cm rope. Dip each rope in oil (to prevent sticking). Allow to rest 30 minutes. To pull: pick up a rope, hold one end in each hand and let the rope hang down. Stretch outward, swinging the rope gently. Fold in half and stretch again. Repeat 6-8 times until the noodles are 2-3mm thick. Boil immediately. The lamb sauce: Fry diced lamb shoulder until browned. Add onion, bell peppers, tomato, garlic. Season with cumin, coriander, black pepper, chilli, salt. Add water or stock. Simmer 20-30 minutes. Pour over the boiled noodles. Garnish with fresh coriander and raw garlic slices.
Fuchsia Dunlop, Invitation to a Banquet (2023)