Everyone loves a big ol’ plate of tangly noodles, and our mum’s classic chicken fried noodleshave been a huge hit at our market stall in Christchurch for over 20 years. Rapidly tossed in a dry and ultra hot wok, her noodles are packed with a smoky wok hei flavour.
Fried noodles are definitely high up on our list of favourite comfort foods. But they’re not the only type of wokked noodle that we love. There’s another, more chilled out method for cooking noodles that leaves you with the juiciest, most flavourful strands.
The technique known as yeung mian saturates noodles with flavour by gently simmering them in a flavoursome liquid until they are piping hot. This method works particularly well with thicker noodles like udon and fresh egg noodles, as these are better vessels for soaking up the liquidy seasoning. There’s also something quite relaxing about the process of making yeung mian as you swill the noodles around in a saucy bath to coax in the flavour.
In this recipe, we’ve paired savoury udon noodles with crispy spiced tofu. Not only does tofu add an excellent source of protein to this dish, it’s also a wonderful contrast against the slipperiness of the noodles. If tofu isn’t your cup of tea, you can easily replace it with stir fried chicken or prawns.