Staple family
Noodles East
Wheat noodles, broth, and a two-minute window.
Noodle dishes are won or lost in the gap between the pot and the bowl. The noodles keep cooking while you drain them, while you fetch a spoon, while the broth is still being ladled. This chapter covers the quick soup-noodle suppers, the oil-based tosses that need no broth at all, and the longer braise that turns a tough cut of beef into a weekend project. Read the timing notes once and the rest becomes instinct.
In this chapter
23 recipes
Braised Noodles with Long Beans and Pork
Fresh wheat noodles are layered over a shallow braise of pork and long beans, then steamed in the trapped steam until they drink up the sauce and stay springy rather than soggy.
Cabbage and Pork Noodles with Egg Yolk
Chewy wheat noodles are tossed with softened cabbage and savoury minced pork, then finished off the heat with a raw egg yolk that melts into a rich, glossy coating on every strand.
Cloudy Vegetable Noodle Soup
Hard-boiling softened vegetables with a beaten egg turns clear water into a pale, milky broth; tender noodles and greens simmer in it for a light yet creamy-tasting bowl with no dairy at all.
Daikon and Carrot Broth Noodles
Long, gentle simmering draws a quiet sweetness from daikon and carrot into a clear broth; thin noodles and a little soy are added at the end so the vegetables stay the main flavour.
Glass Noodles with Minced Pork Ants Climbing A Tree
Soaked cellophane noodles are tossed with browned minced pork and a chilli-soy sauce until every strand is coated and the meat clings to them, which is how the dish gets its name.
Napa Cabbage Stewed with Sweet Potato Noodles
Napa cabbage is stewed until silky and sweet, then chewy sweet potato noodles are folded into the shallow broth so they soak up the soy-scented liquid without losing their springy bite.
Noodles with Luffa and Shimeji
Luffa softens into a silky, mildly sweet vegetable while shimeji stays faintly crisp; thin noodles are folded into their light gingery broth for a gentle, quick bowl.
Quick Fried Noodles with Egg and Sausage
Boiled noodles are tossed in a hot wok with set egg curds and browned sausage coins, then seasoned with a short soy glaze for a fast supper built from pantry staples.
Shredded Chicken and Greens Noodles
Thin wheat noodles, poached chicken torn into threads and quick-wilted greens share a light ginger broth; the whole bowl comes together in one pot in under half an hour.
Shrimp and Cauliflower Noodles
Rice noodles, sweet shrimp and bite-size cauliflower florets meet in a hot wok with garlic and a thin soy glaze, so the florets keep a faint crunch against the soft strands.
Soft Vegetable and Egg Noodles
Tender noodles are gently simmered with sweet carrot and cabbage until everything softens, then folded with soft egg ribbons for a mild, easy bowl that suits small appetites.
Steamed Baby Cabbage with Garlic and Vermicelli
Halved baby cabbage steams under a nest of glass vermicelli and fried garlic, so the leaves turn silky while the noodles soak up a light, savoury soy dressing.
Steamed Prawns with Garlic and Vermicelli
Butterflied prawns steam on a bed of glass vermicelli with a heavy garlic and soy drizzle, so the noodles drink up the sweet shellfish juices as they cook.
Stir Fried Cabbage with Vermicelli and Egg
Shredded cabbage is stir-fried until sweet and just tender, then tossed with soaked vermicelli and soft egg folds for a cheap, fast supper with a mix of silky noodles and still-crisp leaves.
Tomato and Egg Soup with Flour Drops
Ripe tomatoes are simmered into a light broth, then tiny flour-and-water drops and beaten egg are slipped in to make a soft, spoonable soup with tender little dumplings in every mouthful.
Tomato and Spinach Noodle Soup
A light tomato broth, thin wheat noodles and a handful of spinach come together quickly, with beaten egg stirred in at the end for soft, pale ribbons.
Very Soft Cabbage Noodles
Cabbage is simmered until completely soft and sweet, then folded through tender noodles with a light soy glaze for a gentle, easy-to-eat bowl with no crunch left in the leaves.
Tomato and Egg Noodle Soup
Wheat noodles in a light tomato broth with soft egg ribbons and wilted greens, the tomatoes cooked down just enough to sweeten the soup without turning it heavy.
Scallion Oil Noodles
Wheat noodles tossed with slowly fried scallions, their amber oil and a soy-sugar glaze, finished with crisp dark green scallion threads and a sharp, savoury smell.
Zhajiang Noodles with Soybean Paste
Thick wheat noodles under a dark, glossy sauce of minced pork and fermented soybean paste fried slowly until the oil separates, with cool crisp vegetable strips on top.
Braised Beef Noodle Soup
Beef shank braised for two hours with ginger, soy and star anise until the slices hold their shape but yield to a chopstick, served over noodles in the dark broth.
Cold Sesame Noodles
Chilled wheat noodles coated in a thin, tangy sesame-soy dressing with garlic and chilli oil, topped with crisp cucumber and carrot strips for a cool, chewy bowl.
Weeknight Chow Mein
Egg noodles stir-fried in a hot wok with shredded chicken, cabbage and carrot until the edges catch a little brown, all coated in a light soy and oyster sauce glaze.
Boiling Noodles and Pasta Well
Salt, water volume, the two-minute window and the starchy cooking liquid that most home cooks pour down the sink.
Other staple families
Cooking noodles at home
The recipes above share a small set of ingredients and one or two pieces of equipment, so it is worth cooking them in sequence rather than at random. Make the simplest one first — it tells you how your pan, your flour or your rice behaves — then move on to the versions that build on it. If you are working from what is already in the kitchen, the full recipe index can filter every chapter at once by ingredient, equipment and time.