Add a small spoon of salt to the flour to enhance the dough’s elasticity. Mix the salt evenly with chopsticks, then add water to submerge the flour. Use a manual whisk or chopsticks to combine until the mixture forms small lumps.
Continue adding water and stirring with the whisk until a smooth batter forms. The exact amount of water is not critical, as excess will settle later. Some small lumps may remain, which is acceptable. Set the batter aside to settle for approximately 2.5 to 3 hours.
After settling, slowly pour off the yellow water layer on top. Stir the remaining batter with a spoon until no lumps remain, then set it aside for later use.
Pour a moderate amount of vegetable oil into a small bowl. Use a cucumber stem dipped in oil to grease a steaming tray. Ladle about 1.5 spoons of batter into the tray. Once water in a large pot boils, swirl the tray to spread the batter evenly and place it in the pot. Do not cover the pot immediately; wait until the batter sets slightly. If uneven thickness occurs, swirl the tray again for uniformity.
Cover the pot and proceed to grease and fill the next tray. After two minutes, open the lid—large or small bubbles indicate the liangpi is cooked. Immediately submerge the steamed tray in cold water to cool. Place another tray in the pot to steam for two minutes.
Once cooled, place the tray on a towel and gently peel the liangpi from the edges toward the center, using the bubbled areas as starting points. Gather the entire sheet toward the center to lift it off completely.
The finished liangpi is soft and chewy. Note that washed dough may yield gluten with a firmer texture. Cut the liangpi into strips, then mix with cucumber shreds, chili oil, and seasoning sauce. Stir well to combine, and the delicious liangpi is ready to serve.
Ingredients and Preparation Steps:
1. Shred the cucumber and set the stem aside for greasing.
2. Boil Sichuan peppercorns and star anise in water for over ten minutes. Remove the spices and reserve the flavored water.
3. In a small bowl, mix light soy sauce and vinegar. Adjust vinegar quantity for preferred acidity.
4. Mash garlic into a paste, then blend with cold water, salt, chicken essence, and sesame oil. Set aside.
5. Combine chili powder, Sichuan peppercorns, salt, and sesame seeds. Heat oil in a spoon until slightly smoky, then pour it over the chili mixture while stirring continuously. For enhanced flavor and shine, some add vinegar and soy sauce (optional). Let the chili oil sit to develop spiciness and aroma.