2 canned chipotle chiles with some of the adobo sauce, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 hot green chiles (like Thai or serrano), sliced
3 scallions, chopped
Instructions
Mix the water and 4 1/2 teaspoons salt until the salt has completely dissolved.
Put 1 cup salted water and the flour in a large bowl and mix with one hand until the dough comes together in a ball, adding the remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary. Or put the salted water and flour in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with a dough hook at medium speed about 5 minutes. The dough should be very dry but not grainy; add a few drops of water if the dough is dry and gritty; add a sprinkle of flour if it’s at all sticky. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, sprinkling with flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
Heat the oven to 325°F. Put the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add only enough of the short ribs to cook in a single layer without crowding (you’ll have to work in batches). Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, adjusting the heat so they sizzle without burning, until the ribs are well browned on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes total. Transfer them to a plate as you finish and repeat with the remaining ribs.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat, and lower the heat to medium. Add 1 cup water, the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, chipotles and adobo, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring constantly and scraping any browned bits off the bottom, until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved.
Return the ribs to the pot, cover, and transfer to the oven. Cook, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if the mixture seems dry, until the meat is very tender and almost falling off the bone, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a plate and let the cooking liquid cool.
Take the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, about 1 hour. Lightly flour your work surface, unwrap the dough and knead for a couple of minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes.
Put the dough in a strong 1-gallon freezer bag, and press out all of the air. This is the fun part: put the bag of dough on the floor (you can put it on a towel and cover it with another towel) and step on the bag to knead the dough with your feet until it spreads out, filling the bag. Take the dough out and fold in half, then in half again, into a smaller square. Repeat this kneading and folding 2 more times. With your hands, shape the dough into a ball, cover it with a towel, and let it rest 20 minutes.
Put the sesame seeds in a dry medium skillet over medium heat. Toast the seeds, shaking the pan occasionally, until they’re golden and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl.
Sprinkle your work surface with flour, turn out the dough, and sprinkle it with a little flour. Roll out with a rolling pin, adding flour and rotating and turning the dough as needed until the dough is a 1/8-inch-thick square. Fold the square in thirds, and use a sharp knife to slice the dough crosswise into noodles about 1/8 inch wide. Toss the noodles with a little flour to prevent sticking. (At this point you can freeze the noodles in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Skim the fat from the short rib cooking liquid. Taste, and if the sauce is too intense, add water 1/4 cup at a time; keep the mixture hot. Add the noodles to the boiling water and stir. Cook, stirring often, until the noodles are tender but still have some bite; start checking after 1 minute. Drain the noodles and shake off any excess water. Return the noodles to the cooking pot and toss with as much of the braising liquid as you’d like. Serve with a short rib on top, garnished with toasted sesame seeds, chiles, and scallions.