Have a good time 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 which means, particularly throughout celebrations. Longevity noodles, made with Yi Mein (伊面), are a traditional dish served at birthdays, weddings, and festive events corresponding to Chinese language New 12 months. Historically, Yi Mein is normally made recent from scratch. The lengthy, unbroken strands symbolize 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 colour and spongy texture. Their capacity 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 glad 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 better the blessings!

Elements for longevity noodles

Yi Mein and different various

When you stay in an space near Chinatown or a big Chinese language market, you would possibly be capable to discover packaged Yi Mein noodles. However from my expertise, it’s a kind of noodle that’s moderately tough to search out. Typically, producers label a skinny sort of noodles Yi Mein as effectively, which provides to the confusion. The skinny sort is usually utilized in Northern China for noodle soup.

One among my favourite options to Yi Mein noodles is thick recent Shanghai noodles (see the image under). They’re thick noodles with a chewy texture, which is ideal for making longevity noodles.

Alternatively, you may also use further thick udon noodles as a alternative. When none of those is on the market, you possibly can even use spaghetti noodles boiled till al dente. Spaghetti is a good various on account of its chewy texture and proper form.

The noodle sauce

Longevity noodles use 4 easy components for the sauce:

• Shaoxing wine: to deglaze the pan and add a deep umami
• Darkish Soy sauce: it provides the gorgeous darkish brown colour 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 components.

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 hold them easy as a result of they should put together many different dishes for a multi-course celebratory dinner.

You can also 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 may as well use different kinds of mushrooms, corresponding to white mushrooms, as a alternative.

Mise en place

Whenever you’re able to cook 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

Methods to cook dinner longevity noodles

Cooking longevity noodles is basically fast after getting the whole lot prepared.

First, boil the noodles in keeping with the package deal directions. I at all times 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 cook dinner with the garlic chives till wilted.

That’s it! Now you may have a plate of chewy noodles which can be bursting with taste, with a enjoyable texture added by the mushrooms.

Methods to 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 may as well 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 solution to take pleasure in Yi Mein? Share your variations within the feedback under!

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Longevity Noodles (Yi Mein, 伊面)

Have a good time 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}

Course: Aspect

Delicacies: Chinese language

Key phrase: homestyle

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook dinner Time: 15 minutes minutes

Whole Time: 35 minutes minutes

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 every other 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

• 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.

• 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 totally and put aside.

• Warmth the oil in a big pan or wok over excessive warmth. Add the oyster mushrooms. Let sear, stirring sometimes, till golden, about 3 minutes.

• Add the sliced shiitakes. Stir and cook dinner till the shiitakes acquire some colour, about 1 minute.

• 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.

• Add the boiled noodles and toss a number of instances. Then drizzle the sauce over the noodles. Stir and cook dinner till the noodles are evenly coated.

• Add the garlic chives. Stir and cook 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

1. Vegan / Vegetarian Adaption: Use vegetarian oyster sauce to make this dish vegetarian.
2. The recent thick Shanghai noodles yield the perfect consequence on account of their chewy texture. If you will get prime quality recent or dried udon noodles, they make a fantastic various. When recent noodles should not out there, common dried wheat noodles or spaghetti will work as effectively.

Vitamin

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