Yi mein noodles, also known as e-fu noodles or longevity noodles, are combined with green onions, garlic, and mushrooms to make a dish that is incredibly filling. Soy sauce, oyster, sesame oil, and white pepper are used to season the noodles. Onolicious as a side dish, or a simple main dish!.
We frequently attended celebrations and banquets while growing up in Hawaii at the numerous Chinese restaurants in the area. Celebrations for birthdays, weddings, and Chinese New Year were held at locations like Jade Dynasty and Legend Seafood (both of which are excellent for dim sum).
Yi mein, also known as e-fu noodles or longevity noodles, was the last savory course and one of my favorite dishes, and it always marked the end of these celebrations.
The yi mein, this enormous pile of wonderful noodles, would be left at the table because most people would be too full from earlier dinner courses (imagine a dozen courses of soup, chicken, sautéed vegetables, roast duck, steamed whole fish, crab, etc.). But I always made sure to save room. I was crazy about yi mein from the start.
If you’ve ever had yi mein, you’ll understand what I’m saying. The texture of these noodles are sooo goood. It has the best kind of bounce, chew, and slight sponginess. The noodles soak up sauce just right. Yi mein shouldn’t be tampered with by having too many ingredients added. Keep it simple, keep it about the noodle.
They all refer to the same kind of noodle if you see any of those names!
Most Chinese markets sell them alongside other dried noodles. They’re big and puffy and sold as circular rounds. Yi mein are already deep-fried when they are sold, which is likely why they are SO delicious.
Boil the noodles, then combine with the other ingredients and sauce to make yi mein. Boiling also helps remove excess oil.
Yi mein has a very distinct texture and flavor. They have a nice chew while being slightly spongy. They’re soft, but in a really, really good way. The classic ingredient is mushrooms, but you can also use chicken or even lobster, and they go well with almost any protein.
This is an easy recipe. The noodles are boiled before being combined with mushrooms, green onions, and garlic in a pan.
Over the noodles, drizzle the sauce (a concoction of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil). Toss, toss, toss. Eat and enjoy!.
Don’t boil the noodles for too long because that is the only way things can go wrong. Boil for 3 minutes max. And then drain.
Mix the sauce. Combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper in a small bowl to make the sauce. Set aside.
Boil the noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. (Confirm that your pot is large enough to accommodate the large disk of noodles. ) Boil the noodles for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Advice: Only boil the noodles for three minutes. Otherwise you’ll end up with limp and soggy yi mein.
Sauté mushrooms, green onions, and garlic. Add some oil to a large pan and cook the mushrooms for a few minutes. the white part of the green onions and the garlic Sauté until the garlic is golden.
Add noodles. Add the drained noodles into the pan. Cook for another minute until everything is combined.
Add sauce. Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the noodles. Stir and mix it thoroughly, being careful not to break the noodles. If the noodles are sticking to the pan, add more oil. Add a little water if the noodles are drying out.
Since they tend to get a little soggy if they sit around (still delicious, but not as delicious as hot from the pan), it’s best to eat them right away. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
There are countless options here, but to get things going, here are a few: – Steamed Ginger Chicken – A fresh, meaty side I enjoy drizzling the dish’s juices over the noodles. So good. – Fish Balls – Place a few fish balls in a small bowl of broth (such as chicken broth) and serve it to each person. Alternate eating the noodles and drinking the soup. Clear soup and noodles always make a great combination. – Pocket Eggs – Crispy eggs give this dish texture and protein. Serve a large plate of savory pocket eggs that have been panfried. Each person can choose to add an egg to their noodles or eat one on the side. We always need vegetables, and these are delicious. – Garlic and Fish Sauce Ong Choy Simple Japanese pickled cucumbers provide a nice balance and brightness to the dish yi mein, which is not a light one. – Gau Gee – Carbs on carbs. It’s Hawaii and we love Gau Gee!.
Yes, here are a few suggestions: – Use black pepper instead of white; Or omit the pepper completely. – You don’t have to use only shiitake mushrooms. You can use any other type of mushroom. Or even use a mix of mushrooms. I once made a five mushroom yi mein, and it was so much fun that I would definitely do it again. – Use garlic chives, also known as Chinese chives, in place of the green onions. For yi mein, garlic chives are actually more frequently used than green onions, but we always have an abundance of green onions at home, so we use those instead.
The fact that yi mein are referred to as lucky and long-life noodles is not that you need another excuse to eat them. Because of this, yi mein is especially well-liked at birthday and celebration banquets.
Yi mein noodles are tossed with green onions, garlic, and any type of mushrooms you like for a very filling noodle dish. Soy sauce, oyster, sesame oil, and white pepper are used to season the noodles. Onolicious as a side dish, or a simple main dish!.
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Prep Time7 minTotal Time18 minYields4 servings
For more than 50 years, my father has been making Chinese food, including as a young man living on his own in Guangzhou, as the executive chef of his own restaurant, and as a devoted father in our home.
Hopefully, after learning this recipe, you’ll be able to enjoy his food with some of the same delicious joy that we did when we were kids.
Yee mein, also known as e-fu noodles, is a staple dish at Chinese banquets and other special occasions. You wouldn’t know how quick and easy this dish is to put together with the delicious sauce and delightful spongy, chewy texture.
The most well-known origin story for this noodle is that it was named after Yi Bingshou, a Chinese government official who was well-known for his calligraphy.
When Yi Bingshou was entertaining a large group of guests one day, his cook was frantically rushing to serve the guests food. The cook accidentally took cooked egg noodles and fried them.
He served the fried noodles with stock rather than starting over and making fresh noodles. The noodles back then reportedly tasted similar to modern instant noodles, making it an instant hit.
E stands for the letter “Yi” from Yi Bingshou, and fu is a word for “household,” So “E-fu noodles” means “noodles from the house of Yi”. So fancy!.
Check out a quick story summary of our recipe!
Step 6: Add sesame oil & yellow chives
Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the sesame oil and oil for a roasted, nutty flavor. When the heat is off, incorporate the finely chopped yellow chives.
The yellow chives can be cooked while retaining their delicate, aromatic flavor thanks to the residual heat from the noodles.
Step 5: Add noodles
When the sauce is to your liking, add the noodles and combine them. Continue blending to allow the noodles to thoroughly absorb the sauce.
Cook on high heat for an additional 2 minutes or until the liquid has completely evaporated. 5 to 3 minutes. The noodles will be saucy and free of a liquid pool when they are done.