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Da La Pi (大拉皮, Northern Chinese Potato Noodles in Sesame Sauce)
5 from 4 votes

Da La Pi (大拉皮, Northern Chinese Potato Noodles in Sesame Sauce)

Da La Pi, or potato noodles in sesame sauce, is a signature Northern Chinese dish that has a fun texture, is loaded with colorful vegetables, and gets brought together with a rich and nutty sesame-wasabi dressing. It is perfect to serve as a light main dish or salad in the warm months, or as an appetizer for a multi-course meal. {Gluten-Free Adaptable, Vegan}To make the dish gluten-free, use rice vinegar to replace Chinkiang vinegar. You might need to increase the amount of vinegar to 3 tablespoons because its flavor is milder than the Chinkiang vinegar.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 268 kcal
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

Shredded eggs
  • 2 egg beaten
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • Pinch salt
  • Pinch sugar
  • cooking spray for cooking
Sauce
  • 1/4 cup Chinese sesame paste (or unsalted natural peanut butter) (*Footnote 1)
  • 2 tablespoons water or more, warm
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce light
  • 2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or sugar)
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 clove garlic , grated
  • 1 teaspoon wasabi
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
Noodle bowl
  • 7 oz (200 g) potato noodles or 3.5 oz / 100 g dried potato noodles, fresh
  • 1 carrot sliced to thin strips, small
  • 1/2 English cucumber , sliced to thin strips
  • 1 cup purple cabbage , thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup cilantro , chopped

Instructions

Soak the noodles (Optional)
    Cup of Yum
  1. If using dried noodles that require soaking, soak the noodles according to package instructions. (*Footnote 2)
To make the shredded eggs
  1. Crack the eggs into a medium-sized bowl and beat until even and smooth. Add the cornstarch and water into a smaller bowl, stir to mix well until the cornstarch is dissolved, and pour it into the beaten eggs. Add the salt and sugar. Stir to mix well.
  2. Spray (or drizzle) a small amount of oil onto a large nonstick skillet and use paper towels to wipe the oil so the skillet is very thinly coated. Heat over medium heat for 20 seconds. Pour in the beaten egg mixture and immediately swirl the skillet so the egg spreads out into a thin, round layer. Cook until the eggs are mostly set, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. Slowly use a spatula to loosen the egg and fold it over a few times, then transfer to a cutting board.
  3. Wait until the eggs are cool enough to handle. Slice it into thin strips about 1/4 (1/2 cm) wide.
To mix the sauce
  1. Add the sesame paste into a medium-sized bowl. Slowly add warm water and whisk with a spoon, until it forms a smooth paste.
  2. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Stir to mix well. If the sauce is still too thick, almost like a dipping sauce, add 1 or 2 more tablespoons of water and mix again, until it reaches a salad dressing consistency.
To make the noodle bowl
  1. Cook the soaked potato noodles according to package directions. Taste a noodle before draining, to make sure it’s fully cooked through. Once done, drain well and rinse with cold tap water to stop cooking. Drain again and transfer the noodles to a medium-sized bowl. Toss with half of the sauce, then transfer to the center of a big plate.
  2. Place the cucumber, carrot, purple cabbage and sliced eggs around the noodles. Garnish with cilantro and serve with the rest of the sauce on the side.
  3. Toss everything together with the rest of the sauce. Serve at room temperature as an appetizer.

Notes

  • If you are using a newly bought jar of sesame paste, you’ll notice oil floating on the top. Use a chopstick to stir the mixture for at least 10 minutes, so the oil blends into the paste for a more smooth and consistent texture (it’s the same as natural peanut butter or tahini).
  • Read the package instructions carefully. Some of the noodles require pre-soaking, and some can be boiled directly. However, if using the super thick sweet potato noodles, pre-soaking is usually beneficial so the noodles will cook more evenly. If the package has no instructions, soak the wide noodles in warm water for 30 minutes until soft throughout, then boil for 5 to 10 minutes until cooked through (you need to check on the noodles from time to time because each kind can require a different boiling time depending on the manufacturing method).

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 268kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 33.7g (11%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 11.7g (18%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Cholesterol 82mg (27%) Sodium 657mg (27%) Potassium 275mg (6%) Fiber 3.6g (14%) Sugar 5.4g (11%) Calcium 112mg (11%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 268

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 268kcal 13%
Carbohydrates 33.7g 11%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 11.7g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 82mg 27%
Sodium 657mg 27%
Potassium 275mg 6%
Fiber 3.6g 14%
Sugar 5.4g 11%
Calcium 112mg 11%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.