Chinese New Year Noodles
Equipment
- Bowl, small
- Knife
- wok
Ingredients
- 1 cup bamboo shoots sliced
- 1½ cups bean sprouts
- 1½ cups Chinese cabbage chopped
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons ginger fresh and minced
- 12 mushrooms dried Chinese or oyster
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 8 oz rice noodles dried
- 1 scallion chopped
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil optional
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup vegetable broth
Instructions
- Prepare the rice noodles according to the package directions, drain and set aside.
- Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes. Squeeze them dry, remove the stems and cut the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces.
- Meanwhile, combine the vegetable broth, soy sauce, cornstarch and sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat the peanut oil in a wok. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until the garlic just begins to brown.
- Add the mushrooms, Chinese cabbage, bean sprouts and bamboo shoots and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until tender.
- Add the prepared sauce and noodles. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 3–5 minutes.
- Drizzle with sesame oil, if using, and toss well.
- Remove from the heat, garnish with chopped scallion and serve immediately.
Notes & Wine Advice
Serving Advice
Serve these noodles hot as a Main Course or as part of a larger Chinese New Year meal. They also work well alongside other Noodles and vegetable dishes.Recipe Notes
The original recipe allows either chicken or vegetable broth. Vegetable broth is used here so the finished dish remains suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets. You can vary the vegetables according to what you have available, but keep the quantities reasonably similar so there is enough sauce for the noodles.Preparing the Mushrooms
Allow the dried mushrooms to soak for the full 20 minutes so they soften properly. Squeeze out excess water before removing the stems and cutting them into bite-sized pieces.Storage Advice
Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat thoroughly in a wok or frying pan, adding a small splash of vegetable broth or water if the noodles have absorbed too much of the sauce.Wine Advice
A fresh, aromatic white wine works particularly well with the ginger, mushrooms and savoury soy flavours. A Riesling is a good match, especially one with lively acidity and fresh fruit that can balance the salty and aromatic elements of the noodles.Nutrition values
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About Chinese New Year Noodles
Chinese New Year Noodles combine rice noodles with mushrooms, Chinese cabbage, bean sprouts and bamboo shoots in a light savoury sauce. Garlic, fresh ginger and soy sauce provide the main flavour, while a small amount of sesame oil can be added at the end for an extra toasted aroma. The result is a colourful and satisfying Noodles dish that is particularly appropriate for a festive meal.
Noodles for Chinese New Year
Noodles have an important place in Chinese New Year meals and are commonly associated with longevity. Long noodles are traditionally served without deliberately cutting them shorter, making them an especially meaningful dish during New Year celebrations.
This recipe uses dried rice noodles, which absorb the flavours of the sauce while remaining relatively light. Prepare them according to their package instructions before adding them to the wok.
Dried Mushrooms
Dried Chinese or oyster mushrooms give the dish a deeper savoury character than fresh mushrooms alone. They first need to be soaked in warm water until sufficiently softened.
After soaking, squeeze them gently to remove excess liquid, discard any tough stems and cut the mushrooms into manageable pieces. Their rich flavour works particularly well with soy sauce, garlic and ginger.
A Mixture of Vegetables
Chinese cabbage, bean sprouts and bamboo shoots provide three different textures. The cabbage softens slightly during stir-frying, bean sprouts retain freshness and crunch, and bamboo shoots add their characteristic firm bite.
They require only a few minutes of cooking. Avoid stir-frying them for too long because part of the appeal of the dish comes from the contrast between tender noodles and lightly cooked Vegetables.
Garlic and Fresh Ginger
Garlic and ginger form the aromatic base of the dish. They are briefly stir-fried in peanut oil before the vegetables are added. Keep them moving in the hot wok and avoid allowing the garlic to become dark, which can make it taste bitter.
Fresh ginger contributes warmth and fragrance without making the noodles particularly spicy. Its flavour also complements the earthy mushrooms and savoury sauce.
The Simple Soy Sauce
The sauce combines vegetable broth, soy sauce, cornstarch and a small amount of sugar. Cornstarch lightly thickens the liquid so it coats the noodles and vegetables rather than collecting at the bottom of the wok.
The sugar is not intended to make the dish noticeably sweet. It simply balances the salty soy sauce and helps round out the other flavours.
Keeping the Dish Vegetarian
The original recipe gives a choice between chicken broth and vegetable broth. Using vegetable broth keeps the noodles suitable for both Vegetarian and Vegan diets.
When cooking for a strict vegan diet, check the labels of the noodles, broth and sauces to confirm that no animal-derived ingredients have been added.
Cooking in the Wok
Have all ingredients prepared before heating the wok because the actual stir-frying happens quickly. Once the garlic and ginger are fragrant, the mushrooms and vegetables need only around 3–4 minutes.
The cooked noodles and prepared sauce are then added together. Reducing the heat allows the noodles to absorb some of the sauce without the vegetables becoming excessively soft.
Finishing the Noodles
Sesame oil is optional but adds a distinctive toasted aroma. It is best added towards the end rather than being used as the main cooking oil.
Finish the noodles with freshly chopped scallion just before serving. This provides colour, freshness and a mild onion flavour.
Serving for Chinese New Year
Serve the noodles immediately while they are hot. They can form the centre of a simple meal or be served with several other Chinese dishes as part of a larger celebration.
Because the recipe contains noodles, mushrooms and plenty of vegetables, it can also stand alone as a light Main Course.
A Quick Festive Noodle Dish
Although the mushrooms require soaking, the active cooking time is short. Once everything is prepared, the vegetables, sauce and noodles come together quickly in the wok.
Chinese New Year Noodles offer a practical combination of tradition and convenience: long rice noodles for the festive table, plenty of crisp vegetables and a simple ginger-soy sauce that brings the whole dish together.
