* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Scallion oil noodles
A satisfying bowl of noodles
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Shrimp soaking time30 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr10 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 2
Calories: 670kcal
Author: Betty Liu
Equipment
Bowl
Wok or frying pan
Ingredients
1.5tspdried shrimp
8scallions (spring onions)cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) segments
3tbspneutral cooking oil, such as canola or grapeseed oil
1tbspdark soy sauce
2tbsplight soy sauce
1/2tsp black vinegar
1tbspcrushed rock sugar or granulated sugar
Pinch of ground white pepper
225gfresh Shanghai-style thin noodles, cooked to al dente (or 2 servings of any dried noodles. I’ve used soba and ramen noodles with great effect.)
Method
Place the dried shrimp in a small bowl with hot water to cover and soak for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
Smash the scallions with the side of a meat cleaver. Pat dry with a paper towel to avoid any water droplets from causing the oil to splatter during stir-frying.
Heat the oil in a well-seasoned wok over medium-low. Add the scallion segments and let them fry slowly, so they turn yellow without burning. Stir occasionally so the segments brown evenly. This slowly rendered-out flavour is essential to this recipe – be patient and let the toasty flavour infuse the oil. I usually let the scallions cook for 20 to 30 minutes, but for a deeper flavour, cook them at a lower heat for longer, even up to one hour. I’ll often make big batches of this oil that I store in the refrigerator; for this recipe I use three tablespoons. Reduce the heat to low, add the shrimp, and cook for another five minutes.
Meanwhile, mix together the dark and light soy sauces, vinegar, and sugar.
Increase the heat to medium and immediately pour the soy sauce mixture into the wok. The sauce will bubble finely and foam (if it bubbles too much, your heat is too high) and begin to caramelise. Stir to dissolve the sugar and let simmer for two to three minutes to thicken. Turn off the heat. Add a pinch of white pepper. Add the cooked noodles to the wok and toss to combine. Divide the noodles between two bowls, making sure to scoop up the scallion segments.