This dish transforms humble egg noodles into a stunning centerpiece. The noodles are boiled, pressed into a cake, and pan-fried until deeply golden and crisp on both sides. While the noodle base cooks, a vibrant mix of leeks, carrots, mushrooms, and bean sprouts is stir-fried with garlic and ginger. These vegetables are then tossed in a savory, thickened sauce made with chicken broth, rice wine, and cornstarch. The hot, glossy vegetable mixture is spooned over the crispy noodle cake just before serving. It offers a wonderful contrast of textures&# 226;ÂÂcrunchy noodles against tender-crisp veggiesâÂÂand makes for an impressive yet straightforward weeknight dinner that feels restaurant-quality.
Crisp-Fried Vegetarian Noodles
Description
This dish transforms humble egg noodles into a stunning centerpiece. The noodles are boiled, pressed into a cake, and pan-fried until deeply golden and crisp on both sides. While the noodle base cooks, a vibrant mix of leeks, carrots, mushrooms, and bean sprouts is stir-fried with garlic and ginger. These vegetables are then tossed in a savory, thickened sauce made with chicken broth, rice wine, and cornstarch. The hot, glossy vegetable mixture is spooned over the crispy noodle cake just before serving. It offers a wonderful contrast of textures&# 226;ÂÂcrunchy noodles against tender-crisp veggiesâÂÂand makes for an impressive yet straightforward weeknight dinner that feels restaurant-quality.Ingredients
Directions
-
Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil in a large pot.
-
Add the thin egg noodles and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.
-
Drain the noodles well.
-
Toss the hot noodles with 1-2 teaspoons of sesame oil to prevent sticking.
-
Immediately transfer the noodles into a round cake pan or pie plate.
-
Press down firmly on the noodles to level them and form a compact cake.
-
Allow the noodle cake to cool completely. It can be refrigerated at this stage if making ahead.
-
While the noodles cool, finely julienne the leeks and rehydrated Chinese black mushroom caps.
-
Discard the tough mushroom stems.
-
Rinse and drain the bean sprouts.
-
In a bowl, combine chicken broth, soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and cornstarch.
-
Whisk the sauce mixture until smooth and well-blended.
-
Heat a well-seasoned wok or large skillet over high heat until very hot.
-
Add 1.5 tablespoons of vegetable oil and heat until nearly smoking.
-
Carefully invert the cooled noodle cake into the hot pan.
-
Cook the bottom of the cake until deep-golden brown, swirling the pan occasionally to prevent sticking.
-
Flip the noodle cake over and brown the other side.
-
Transfer the fried noodle cake to a heat-proof serving platter and keep warm in a 200ðF (93ðC) oven.
-
Reheat the pan over high heat and add the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
-
Once the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and ginger.
-
Stir-fry the aromatics for about 10 seconds until fragrant.
-
Add the julienned mushrooms, shredded carrots, and leeks to the pan.
-
Stir-fry over high heat for about 1 minute.
-
Add the remaining rice wine and cook for one more minute.
-
Pour in the prepared sauce mixture and bring to a boil.
-
Add the bean sprouts and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the vegetables.
-
Spoon the hot vegetable sauce and mixture immediately over the crispy noodle cake.
-
Serve the dish right away.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 72.6kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 3.1g5%
- Saturated Fat 0.6g3%
- Cholesterol 10.2mg4%
- Sodium 189.0mg8%
- Total Carbohydrate 8.6g3%
- Dietary Fiber 0.6g3%
- Sugars 0.2g
- Protein 3.1g7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
