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HomeAsian FoodSimple Fried Noodles (20-Minute) - Omnivore's Cookbook

Simple Fried Noodles (20-Minute) – Omnivore’s Cookbook


Wok of Chinese fried noodles with baby bok choy, scrambled eggs, and Chinese sausage.

In China, fried noodles are one of the vital widespread homestyle meals, and each household has their very own model. Some begin from chopping and marinating meat (for instance beef chow mein), some use leftover roast pork (see my char siu lo mein recipe), and others use vegetable scraps from the fridge. Immediately I wish to share this homestyle fried noodle that’s tremendous quick to place collectively. It makes use of sausage because the protein so as to add taste and texture, together with tender eggs and crisp bok choy, introduced along with soy sauce. 

It’s the type of dish I like to make once I need one thing hearty however not heavy. And like all good residence cooking, it’s endlessly adaptable – you may swap in several sorts of sausage, toss in shrimp or tofu, use several types of greens, or spice it up with chili crisp.

Components

One of many largest challenges in the case of Chinese language cooking is chopping the components – a recipe normally requires chopping many components. This can be a recipe that minimizes chopping and prepping, with out sacrificing taste or texture. 

Ingredient layout including bok choy, Chinese sausage, eggs, scallions, oil, soy sauce, and dried noodles.Ingredient layout including bok choy, Chinese sausage, eggs, scallions, oil, soy sauce, and dried noodles.
  • Noodles: You should use many sorts of noodles, similar to chow mein, lo mein, or easy dried wheat noodles similar to udon.
  • Sauce – Mild soy sauce, darkish soy sauce, sugar and salt: It’s a easy mixture to reinforce the flavour of the components with out overpowering something. You should use common soy sauce to interchange the sunshine and darkish soy sauce.
  • Scallion: Loads of scallion is used so as to add perfume to the dish.
  • Chinese language sausage: It’s salty and candy with a chewy texture, including quite a lot of taste to the dish. You should use another type of sausage you favor. See extra beneath.
  • Eggs: It’s a primary ingredient so as to add taste and texture. 
  • Child bok choy: It’s one in all my favourite greens in fried noodles. It’s fast to prepare dinner, provides two textures to the dish, and is scrumptious.

Totally different sausage choices

When cooking this homestyle dish, most residence cooks like to make use of Chinese language sausage, sizzling canine, or Spam. As you may see, all of them have a robust taste and are fairly salty. That’s why you solely use a small quantity so as to add quite a lot of taste to the dish. 

Alternatively, you may also use different common sausages similar to hen sausage and pork sausage. For this dish, I believe a delicate and candy sausage works greatest, because the sauce is sort of delicate. Nevertheless, it’s additionally doable to make use of a stronger tasting sausage (say, chorizo), in case you plan to make use of some chili crisp to spice up the dish on the finish.

Different vegetable options

In principle, you may add virtually any sort of vegetable to the dish. However since our purpose right here is to maintain issues so simple as doable, I desire to make use of one primary vegetable that has a tender-ish texture. For instance, napa cabbage, spinach, and choy sum. These greens have a tendency to soak up taste higher and work higher with the easy seasonings on this recipe.

Different greens can be utilized in small quantities. For instance, onion, carrot, pepper, and bean sprouts. However I wouldn’t use an excessive amount of as a result of they don’t have as a lot taste and solely contribute to the feel of the dish.

Plate of Chinese fried noodles with bok choy, sausage, and eggs, served with chopsticks for an easy weeknight meal.Plate of Chinese fried noodles with bok choy, sausage, and eggs, served with chopsticks for an easy weeknight meal.

Tips on how to make

An important factor about making these fried noodles is to prepare dinner the components individually, to ensure they’re correctly seared.

1. Boil the noodles in response to the directions. As soon as achieved, be sure that to rinse the noodles totally with chilly working water after draining. This step stops the noodles from additional cooking within the residual warmth and removes extra starch from the floor. It’s an important step to create higher texture through the stir fry. If the noodles begin to stick collectively while you’re prepared to make use of them, merely rinse them with faucet water once more and fluff them.

Cooked wheat noodles being rinsed in cold water to stop cooking.Cooked wheat noodles being rinsed in cold water to stop cooking.

2. Scramble the eggs. For eggs in fried noodles, I at all times prefer to warmth the oil actually sizzling, so the overwhelmed eggs fluff up instantly after they hit the pan. I normally prepare dinner till the floor is golden brown and the within is tender, for a fantastic mouthfeel.

Scrambled eggs cooking in a hot wok as the first step.Scrambled eggs cooking in a hot wok as the first step.

3. Stir fry the bok choy. I take advantage of a considerable amount of bok choy in my recipe, as a result of I like to load my noodles up with veggies. To correctly sear it with out overcooking, I desire to prepare dinner it individually and take it out of the pan, solely including it again on the finish.

Freshly chopped baby bok choy stir frying in a wok.Freshly chopped baby bok choy stir frying in a wok.

4. Fry the sausage till golden crispy on the sides. This is applicable to all sorts of sausage or Spam, to create a crispy texture and to infuse sufficient taste into the oil. Then add the scallion and prepare dinner to launch the perfume.

Sliced Chinese sausage and scallions sizzling in oil in a wok.Sliced Chinese sausage and scallions sizzling in oil in a wok.

5. Add the noodles and toss with the sauce. Toss totally so the noodles coat evenly with the aromatic oil.

Noodles added to the wok with sausage and scallions, covered with sauce.Noodles added to the wok with sausage and scallions, covered with sauce.

6. Add again child bok choy and eggs, toss once more. 

Wok filled with stir-fried noodles, bok choy, eggs, and sausage before the final toss.Wok filled with stir-fried noodles, bok choy, eggs, and sausage before the final toss.

The advantage of utilizing a wok

For stir fries, I’ll use a skillet or wok, relying on what I’m cooking. I at all times desire to prepare dinner with a wok once I prepare dinner easy dishes like this straightforward fried noodle dish, as a result of the wok hei provides one other layer of taste to the easy sauce. A big wok is certainly nice for tossing noodles with out components flying out all over the place. However remember, in case you use an electrical range or a gasoline range that isn’t very highly effective, the wok won’t warmth up correctly and your meals could find yourself steamed. That’s why I prepare dinner a number of components individually on this dish, to ensure the whole lot is correctly seared. 

Tips on how to serve

Merely serve these fried noodles as a primary course for lunch or dinner. To complete up the dish, you may drizzle some toasted sesame oil after you flip off the warmth. In case you desire some spice, skip the sesame oil and add chili crisp to your noodles when serving. 

Since this can be a quite simple dish, it’s additionally very appropriate for serving as a aspect dish together with some mains. Or for a cocktail party, serve it with chilly appetizers, mains, and a soup. 

Chinese fried noodles drizzled with chili crisp, served with greens, sausage, and eggs for a spicy noodle dish.Chinese fried noodles drizzled with chili crisp, served with greens, sausage, and eggs for a spicy noodle dish.

Incessantly requested questions

What sort of noodles ought to I take advantage of for fried noodles?

For this dish, my favourite noodles are dried wheat noodles as a result of they’re one thing I at all times have in my pantry. Additionally they have a light taste which pairs effectively with the delicate sauce. Nevertheless, egg noodles similar to lo mein and chow mein work as effectively. 

Can I make this dish vegetarian or vegan?

You should use a vegetarian sausage to interchange the Chinese language sausage to make this dish vegetarian. Nevertheless, I desire to not skip the eggs as a result of they’re a primary ingredient. This dish makes use of quite simple components and a gentle sauce. And eliminating the meat and eggs would take away quite a lot of taste and texture. For a vegan dish, try my vegetable chow mein.

What’s the distinction between mild soy sauce and darkish soy sauce?

Mild soy sauce seasons the dish with salt and umami, whereas darkish soy sauce provides a deeper shade and refined sweetness. In case you don’t have darkish soy sauce, you may omit it since I solely use a small quantity. 

Can I take advantage of an everyday skillet?

A wok gives extra space for tossing the components, however a big nonstick or forged iron skillet additionally does a fantastic job, particularly on smaller stovetops.

Different scrumptious noodle recipes

Chinese language Cooking Made Simple

Are you new to this web site? This free e-mail sequence is a superb place to begin. I’ll stroll you thru a number of of my hottest recipes and present you ways and why they work. You’ll shortly begin to prepare dinner higher Chinese language meals in your individual kitchen.

My straightforward fried noodles make a fast, comforting meal with chewy noodles, crisp bok choy, savory Chinese language sausage, and tender scrambled eggs. Every thing comes collectively in beneath 20 minutes for a satisfying dish that’s easy but stuffed with taste.

Stop your display from going darkish

  • Boil noodles in response to package deal directions till al dente. Rinse with chilly faucet water to cease cooking, drain and put aside.

  • Reduce off the ends of child bok choy. Slice the whites into 1/2” (1 cm) items and slice the greens into 1” (2.5 cm) items. Soak in chilly water for two minutes, rub gently to take away any filth. Drain and put aside.

  • Mix the soy sauce, darkish soy sauce, sugar and salt in a small bowl.

  • Warmth 1 tablespoon oil in a big skillet (or a wok) over medium warmth till simply smoking. Add the eggs. Scramble till cooked by and the floor turns mild golden. Switch to a plate.

  • Add 1 tablespoon oil and the infant bok choy. Prepare dinner and stir till simply wilted, 2 minutes or so. Switch to the plate with the eggs.

  • Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sausage. Prepare dinner till the sides flip golden. Add the scallion and stir to launch perfume.

  • Add the noodles and toss a number of instances. Pour within the sauce. Prepare dinner and stir to coat noodles evenly with sauce. Add again the eggs and child bok choy. Toss to combine effectively. Add the scallion greens. Switch the noodles to particular person serving plates. Serve sizzling as a primary dish or aspect dish. Stir in sesame oil or chili crisp if desired.

Ingredient Substitution Information

  1. This dish is cooked a number of methods in China, and one other well-liked model makes use of sizzling canine. Alternatively, you may also use another sort of sausage you favor, similar to hen sausage or pork sausage. I desire to make use of a light sausage so it doesn’t overpower the sauce an excessive amount of.

Serving: 1serving, Energy: 395kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 20.8g, Fats: 15.9g, Saturated Fats: 3.5g, Ldl cholesterol: 186mg, Sodium: 1547mg, Potassium: 815mg, Fiber: 5.6g, Sugar: 8.6g, Calcium: 257mg, Iron: 5mg

Did you make this recipe?

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And in case you snapped a photograph, don’t overlook to tag @omnivorescookbook on Instagram. I can’t wait to see your creations!



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