Long Life Noodles: Recipe Instructions
To prepare the Yi Mein noodles, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a sizable wok or pot. Once boiling, add the noodles.
Although the package may instruct you to boil the noodles for five minutes, we suggest boiling them for no longer than three to four minutes to keep them firm and chewy. If you overcook them, the texture will become mushy.
When a noodle tastes more like the uncooked end of al dente pasta, it is finished cooking. When the noodles are done, immediately drain and set aside.
Spread 2 tablespoons of oil around the wok’s perimeter after heating it to just smoking temperature.
Stir-fry the shiitake mushrooms and the Chinese chives’ light green parts for 30 seconds. If the mushrooms appear to be too dry, add another tablespoon of oil because they absorb the oil like sponges.
Add the noodles, stirring everything for an additional 20 seconds until they are warm but not wet. Warming the noodles before adding the sauce is crucial, so if they cooled off, simply cook them a little bit longer until they are warmed.
Over the noodles, evenly distribute the prepared sauce mixture, and stir-fry everything for one minute, or until the soy sauce mixture is distributed. If you think it’ll help, add one more tablespoon of oil to the wok’s outer rim to prevent sticking.
How much oil you use is definitely a personal preference. Put a little oil on the noodles if they start to stick together. If the noodles are still too dry after adding the sauce, you can also add a small amount of hot water.
Mix gently so you don’t break up the noodles. Keep in mind that long noodles will bring longevity and prosperity to the diners of this meal!
When the noodles are thoroughly heated, add the remaining chives green parts and stir until they turn bright green.
Depending on whether your noodles were cold when you started stir-frying them or still warm, and how hot your stove and wok can get, this will take 1-3 minutes.
Plate and serve your long life noodles!
With some of Kaitlin’s Homemade Chili Oil, we advise you to eat these noodles!
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Interesting Facts About Chinese New Year
How to make handmade longevity noodles
To knead your handmade mian, follow these steps:
First, you will need to combine flour and salt together. Add room-temperature water slowly while mixing the dough. Knead the dough till it blends into a smooth ball. When the dough has completely formed and is covered with plastic wrap, let it rest at room temperature for twenty minutes.
The dough should then be taken off the plastic wrap and repeatedly kneaded in the bowl before being wrapped and allowed to rest.
Take out your dough when you’re prepared to shape your longevity noodles. Each piece of dough should be rolled into a long, snake-like cylindrical shape after being lightly oil-brushed. Repeat the procedure: if you want to use them right away, cover with plastic wrap and put them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Now its time to cook your mian. Take the dough out of the fridge and allow it to rest at room temperature. Heat a large pot with water.
To stretch the dough without breaking it, gently pull the ends. Loop the dough into a large ring. Lift the dough ring with your hands, keeping them shoulder-width apart.
Flip the noodle ring up and down on the work counter while stretching it outward. Pull the noodle until it shrinks in diameter, being careful not to break it.
Continue until your dough is elastic and completely stretched. Then, throw the noodles into the boiling water right away. To prevent the dough strands from sticking to one another or the side of the pot, keep stirring.
Pour a cup of cold water into the pot once the water has reached a boil. before adding cold water, bring to a boil and continue to cook. You can remove the noodles once the pot comes to a boil once more. The noodles needed to be cooked for a total of two to three minutes.
It’s not a stretch of the imagination to make longevity noodles that taste springy. To prevent them from being soggy or undercooked, you must adhere to these recommendations. Additionally, you want to ensure that the noodles don’t break.
When cooking the longevity noodles in a stir-fry, avoid using vigorous stirring motions. Most mian purchased from stores is hard and dry. You must boil them until they are tender to prepare them. When the noodles are approximately 85–90% cooked, drain them.
When stirring-frying the mian, add just enough oil to prevent the strands from sticking to the wok or pan. Avoid using a spatula. Instead, use chopsticks and minimise the movement of stir-frying. Avoid cooking them for longer than five minutes in a stir-fry; otherwise, they will break apart and become mushy.
The first tip is to choose the right vermicelli. Yi mian is the best choice as it has a unique taste due to the soda water in the dough. Usually, the cooks deep-fry Yi mian before adding broth to ensure the texture is extra bouncy.
First, cook your soup and noodles separately. The vermicelli in the soup become mushy and even change the flavor of the broth when they are cooked.
It would be beneficial if you cooked the mian, drained them, and then gave them a quick cold water rinse. In this manner, you can stop the longevity noodles from absorbing too much water.
The following advice is to add the soup only in the final stage. Put the pre-cooked noodles in a bowl with the soup, and then immediately enjoy it. If you go to a restaurant, you might notice the chefs tossing noodles into a bowl before ladling hot soup!
The same principle still holds true if you want to store leftovers: keep the noodles separate from the broth.
FAQ
What is another name for longevity noodles?
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!.
Are longevity noodles healthy?
This recipe for Chinese longevity noodles is flavorful and filled with chicken and nutritious greens. It’s a healthy and hearty comfort food meal.
What is Chinese longevity noodles?
Long Life Noodles (y miàn, ) or yi mein are a staple of Chinese banquet tables because they represent longevity. E-fu noodles, also referred to as yi mein, are always served at banquets for birthdays, new babies, weddings, or the lunar new year.
What do longevity noodles represent?
Foods prepared and consumed during the New Year’s celebration frequently have symbolic meanings intended to evoke wealth and fortune. The term “longevity noodles” here is self-explanatory: the length of the noodles represents a long and fulfilling life.