Rejoice Lunar New 12 months with these longevity noodles made with chewy Yi Mein and mushrooms, introduced along with a savory brown sauce and aromatics. {Vegetarian-Adaptable}
In Chinese language tradition, noodles are greater than only a staple meals—they carry a particular symbolic that means, particularly throughout celebrations. Longevity noodles, made with Yi Mein (伊面), are a basic dish served at birthdays, weddings, and festive events akin to Chinese language New 12 months. Historically, Yi Mein is normally made contemporary from scratch. The lengthy, unbroken strands signify a want for a protracted and affluent life.
The custom behind longevity noodles
Yi Mein, also referred to as E-Fu noodles (伊府面), is the star ingredient of longevity noodles. These wheat-based noodles are pre-fried, giving them a particular golden-brown shade and spongy texture. Their skill to take in flavorful sauces makes them supreme for quite a lot of dishes.
Longevity noodles are historically served for:
- Birthdays: Symbolizing well being and lengthy life.
- Weddings: Representing a protracted and blissful union.
- Chinese language New 12 months: Wishing prosperity within the coming 12 months.
The important thing to longevity noodles? By no means reduce the strands whereas cooking or serving. The longer the noodles, the higher the blessings!
Elements for longevity noodles
Yi Mein and different various
In the event you stay in an space near Chinatown or a big Chinese language market, you may be capable to discover packaged Yi Mein noodles. However from my expertise, it’s a sort of noodle that’s slightly tough to search out. Typically, producers label a skinny sort of noodles Yi Mein as nicely, which provides to the confusion. The skinny sort is usually utilized in Northern China for noodle soup.
One among my favourite alternate options to Yi Mein noodles is thick contemporary Shanghai noodles (see the image beneath). They’re thick noodles with a chewy texture, which is ideal for making longevity noodles.
Alternatively, you can too use additional thick udon noodles as a substitute. When none of those is accessible, you possibly can even use spaghetti noodles boiled till al dente. Spaghetti is a good various because of its chewy texture and proper form.
The noodle sauce
Longevity noodles use 4 easy substances for the sauce:
- Shaoxing wine: to deglaze the pan and add a deep umami
- Darkish Soy sauce: it provides the gorgeous darkish brown shade and a gentle caramel style
- Oyster sauce: it’s one other key ingredient to create the scrumptious savory sauce
- Sugar: a small quantity of sugar balances the saltiness and brings out the flavour of the substances.
Mushrooms and different noodle topping choices
There are various alternative ways to make longevity noodles. When celebrating Chinese language New 12 months in a restaurant, it’s not unusual to order lobster with longevity noodles for its festive look. However when making these noodles at dwelling, most dwelling cooks preserve them easy as a result of they should put together many different dishes for a multi-course celebratory dinner.
You may make the simplest longevity noodles utilizing shiitake mushrooms so as to add their umami taste. My recipe makes use of shiitake mushrooms and oyster mushrooms for added texture. You too can use different varieties of mushrooms, akin to white mushrooms, as a substitute.
TIP
You too can customise your noodles by including a protein akin to shrimp, hen, or tofu for a extra fulfilling meal. So as to add protein, check with the tactic and amount in my chicken chow mein recipe. Be sure to all the time marinate the protein earlier than cooking. And prepare dinner the protein individually and add it again through the stir fry.
Mise en place
While you’re able to prepare dinner, your desk ought to have:
- Shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated and sliced
- Oyster mushrooms, torn to bite-size items
- Garlic chives (or scallions): sliced
- Noodles
- Combined sauce
- Shaoxing wine + reserved mushroom soaking water on the aspect to deglaze the pan
- Minced ginger and garlic
How you can prepare dinner longevity noodles
Cooking longevity noodles is actually fast upon getting all the things prepared.
First, boil the noodles in keeping with the package deal directions. I all the time prefer to boil the noodles to an al dente texture (normally one minute lower than the cooking time on the package deal), so the noodles nonetheless have their chewy texture as soon as stir fried.
Pan fry the mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms till browned. Then add the aromatics and stir to combine. Then deglaze the pan with Shaoxing wine and the mushroom soaking water.
Then add the noodles and the sauce. Toss to combine collectively. Then prepare dinner with the garlic chives till wilted.
That’s it! Now you might have a plate of chewy noodles which are bursting with taste, with a enjoyable texture added by the mushrooms.
How you can serve longevity noodles
Whether or not you’re celebrating a special day or just savoring a comforting meal, longevity noodles with Yi Mein are a fantastic thought. Like I discussed above, you possibly can serve this dish by itself as a one pan meal by including a protein. You too can share this dish as a aspect dish for a multi-course dinner.
Listed here are some concepts for a dinner celebrating Chinese language New 12 months:
What’s your favourite approach to get pleasure from Yi Mein? Share your variations within the feedback beneath!
Longevity Noodles (Yi Mein, 伊面)
Rejoice Lunar New 12 months with these longevity noodles made with chewy Yi Mein and mushrooms, introduced along with a savory brown sauce and aromatics. {Vegetarian-Adaptable}
Elements
Stir fry
- 12 oz (340 g) thick Shanghai Noodles (or udon noodles) (*Footnote 2)
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1/2 lb (227 g) oyster mushrooms (or another mushroom you like), reduce to bite-size items
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 2 tablespoons mushroom soaking water
- 8 stalks garlic chives , or 4 inexperienced onions, reduce into 1” (5 cm) items
Directions
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Add the shiitake mushrooms right into a medium-sized bowl and add sufficient heat water to cowl. Rehydrate for 15 to twenty minutes, till the mushrooms have turned tender all through. Reserve 2 tablespoons of mushroom soaking water. Drain the mushrooms and thinly slice them.
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Boil the noodles in keeping with directions. Then drain, rinse the noodles with chilly operating faucet water to cease cooking and rinse off extra starch. Drain completely and put aside.
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Warmth the oil in a big pan or wok over excessive warmth. Add the oyster mushrooms. Let sear, stirring often, till golden, about 3 minutes.
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Add the sliced shiitakes. Stir and prepare dinner till the shiitakes achieve some shade, about 1 minute.
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Add the ginger and garlic into the pan, and toss for 30 seconds. Pour within the Shaoxing wine and the two tablespoons mushroom soaking water. Stir to deglaze the pan.
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Add the boiled noodles and toss a number of occasions. Then drizzle the sauce over the noodles. Stir and prepare dinner till the noodles are evenly coated.
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Add the garlic chives. Stir and prepare dinner for a further 2 minutes, or till the chives are wilted and the sauce is totally absorbed by the yi mein. Switch the noodles to a serving platter.
Notes
- Vegan / Vegetarian Adaption: Use vegetarian oyster sauce to make this dish vegetarian.
- The contemporary thick Shanghai noodles yield the very best end result because of their chewy texture. If you may get prime quality contemporary or dried udon noodles, they make a fantastic various. When contemporary noodles are usually not obtainable, common dried wheat noodles or spaghetti will work as nicely.
Diet
Serving: 1serving, Energy: 381kcal, Carbohydrates: 63.4g, Protein: 13.7g, Fats: 9.2g, Saturated Fats: 1.2g, Sodium: 1534mg, Potassium: 374mg, Fiber: 5.3g, Sugar: 10.5g, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 4mg