Tian Shui Mian (甜水面) — Chengdu Sweet Water Noodles
Thick, chewy hand-pulled noodles coated in a rich sweet-spiced soy sauce with chili oil, sesame paste, and roasted soybean powder. Inspired by my favorite Chengdu restaurant, this bowl with noodles is simple, bold, and deeply satisfying.
Servings: 4 small bowls
Noodles
- 250 g all-purpose flour 9g protein
- 115 –125g water see note
- ⅙ tsp salt
Spiced sweet soy sauce - Fu Zhi Jiang You 复制酱油
- ½ cup (150g) soy sauce
- ¼ cup (40g) brown sugar
- 4 tbsp (40g) water
- ¼ tsp fennel seeds
- 2 slices mature ginger
- 1 clove
- 1 cao guo Chinese black cardamom
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
Other sauce ingredients
- Chili oil homemade preferred
- 1 tbsp Chinese sesame paste
- Roasted soybean powder
- 3 cloves garlic crushed or minced
- Sichuan peppercorn powder
- Mushrooms seasoning
For each bowl (easy reference)
- 1 tbsp sweet spiced soy sauce
- 1 tbsp chili oil
- 2-3 tsp Chinese sesame paste
- ½ tsp roasted soybean powder
- ½ tsp crushed garlic with a little of its juice
- Pinch of Sichuan peppercorn powder
- Pinch of mushroom seasoning
Make the Noodles
Place flour in a large mixing bowl and mix in the salt. Create a well in the centre. Slowly pour in the water — start with half, gathering the flour from the sides inward to gradually hydrate. Continue adding water and mixing until no dry flour remains.
Knead into a smooth dough until you achieve the "3 shines" — the dough shines, your palm shines, and the bowl is clean. If the dough is too stiff to come together right away, shape into a rough ball, cover tightly, and rest for 10 minutes, then knead again until smooth. Cover well and rest for 30 minutes total.
Make the sweet spiced soy sauce
While the dough rests, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Add all the spices as whole pieces.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and let it gently bubble until the sauce reduces slightly and small bubbles appear on the surface, about 10–12 minutes.
Turn off the heat and strain out all the spices. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools — you should end up with slightly less than you started with. This makes more than you need for one sitting — store the rest in a jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Roll and cut the noodles
After resting, lightly dust your work surface and roll out the dough into a flat sheet. Fold both sides in toward the centre, then roll out again to about 8mm thick. Cut into strips about 8mm wide. These are thick, rustic noodles, and the chunkier they are, the better they hold up to the sauce.
Assemble and serve
To each small bowl of noodles, add 1 tbsp sweet spiced soy sauce, 1 tbsp chili oil, 2–3 tsp thinned sesame paste (plus more for creaminess), ½ tsp roasted soybean powder, ½ tsp crushed garlic with a little of its juice, a pinch of Sichuan peppercorn powder, and a pinch of mushroom seasoning.
Mix everything together immediately and enjoy right away — bite by bite, to savour every strand.
- Water amount: Start with 120g in a humid climate, up to 125g in a drier environment. Always measure — it makes a big difference with this dough.
Noodle texture: The low water ratio (2:1 flour to water) is what creates the signature QQ texture — chewy, bouncy, and substantial. It's different from starch-noodle bounciness; you really have to taste it.
- Sweet spiced soy sauce: Brown sugar is key — cane sugar gives a slightly different sweetness. You can mix regular soy sauce with a little dark soy sauce for a deeper colour.
- Chinese sesame paste (芝麻酱): Different from tahini — made from roasted sesame seeds with a deeper, nuttier flavour. Always thin it with water first so it mixes through the noodles easily.
- Chili oil: Homemade is best, especially with freshly pounded chili flakes from the morning market. See my 5-minute chili oil recipe.
- Eating tip: Mix your bowl the moment it arrives. The longer the noodles sit, the less vibrant the flavours. Take it bite by bite to savour the sauce.