One of the most favorite dishes that came to us from the Middle Kingdom is delicious wok noodles. History says that this dish is over 4 thousand years old. This is one of the most common dishes in Chinese cuisine. At the same time, the Chinese eat it both on weekdays and on holidays. Of course, for special occasions, the wok noodle recipe becomes a little more complicated; a large number of vegetables, various types of meat are added to it, a special sauce is prepared, etc.
Who invented noodles?
When the Chinese decided to change the technology of making noodles, where did the idea of rolling the dough into a thin layer and cutting it into thin strips come from? It is unlikely that exact answers can be found to this question. After all, it was a very, very long time ago. There is also no exact answer to the question of how long the noodles should be. Sometimes during cooking competitions, Chinese chefs make noodles several meters long. Residents of the Middle Kingdom consider it a symbol of longevity. That is why, passing on from generation to generation the skills and knowledge of how to cook wok noodles, teachers also teach their students that they should never break this product, as this will shorten their life. Cooking it whole is also a great art.
Where does the name "wok" come from?
Noodles are called this way due to the container in which they are made. This is a kind of frying pan in the form of an inverted dome. It serves not only noodles, but also many different dishes. This cookware is convenient for frying, boiling, stewing and even smoking. The noodles themselves are prepared using the stir-fry technique. According to it, foods are fried in hot oil over very high heat, and they are constantly stirred to prevent them from burning. Observing from the outside, it seems to us that the cook is tossing vegetables frying in a frying pan, and then catching them back in the frying pan. It is believed that food prepared in this way retains all its beneficial properties.
Varieties of Chinese WOK noodles
To prepare this dish in China, different types of flour are used. In the northern regions of China, noodles are more often prepared from wheat flour, in the southern parts - from rice flour. It has an unusual snow-white color. As a rule, it is not subsequently boiled, but simply soaked in warm water. This is a very dietary product, it does not contain gluten, it is low in calories - only 250 kcl per 100 grams of product.
Another type of wok noodles, the recipe of which has reached modern cooks from the depths of millennia, is egg noodles. It is made from wheat flour with the addition of a large number of eggs. Naturally, this product has a pronounced yellow color.
There is another type of noodle, which, like the previous one, is made from wheat flour - it is called “udon”. Despite the fact that it consists of only two ingredients - flour and water, this type is higher in calories than the previous two.
Well, the last type of wok noodles that we want to talk about is funchoza. It is made from starch obtained from mung beans. Its characteristic feature is transparency (after cooking). Corn and soybean funchose are also common in China, but they are considered the food of the poor. Both of these varieties are considered high-calorie - they contain about 330 kcl. But buckwheat noodles, which are brown in color, although high in calories, are better absorbed and have great beneficial properties.
Don’t be surprised, but there are several more varieties of wok noodles in the Middle Kingdom. The recipe for one of them is simply amazing. It is made by adding spinach, which is why it has a distinct green color.
How to cook wok noodles
As you already understand, the central figure in the preparation of this dish is the wok, which has unusually high edges that maintain the heat in the pan. Thanks to this feature, products are prepared quickly without losing their taste and beneficial properties. Today there are a great many Chinese restaurants around the world that are very popular in the countries where they are located.
Each restaurant has its own special recipe for making wok noodles. At home, however, you can also prepare this delicious dish, even if you don't have the right frying pan. However, our advice is that it’s better to buy a wok and cook according to all the rules. Noodles can be combined with meat, poultry, seafood, and a variety of vegetables. In most recipes, the noodles are simply boiled, but there are also methods in which they are first fried in oil and then only boiled.
Some nuances
As a rule, these noodles are made from salted dough, so before adding salt to the boiling water, it is better to read on the box what kind of dough it is made from. After all, sometimes this flour product can be made from sweet or sour dough. The Chinese themselves never add salt, since all the taste of a dish comes from the spices and sauces with which it is served. You only need to boil it for a short time - 3-5 minutes after boiling. Depending on the type of noodles, it can be eaten both as a side dish for meat, that is, hot, and as an ingredient in a salad (rice noodles are especially suitable for this), in this case already cold.
Description of preparation:
This dish has a lot of variations, since there are a huge number of different noodles, and the dish itself is served both hot and cold.
Before cooking the noodles, it is advisable to soak them in cold water. You can try cooking the noodles in boiling broth; cook for 2-3 minutes. You can roast the peanuts and sesame seeds in the microwave in advance. Serve the finished dish with soy sauce. However, as I already said, the recipe for noodles with vegetables in a wok is such that you can safely modify it at your discretion. Good luck! Purpose: For lunch / For dinner Main ingredient: Vegetables / Noodles Dish: Hot dishes
Wok noodles recipe with mushrooms
What is needed for this?
- Chicken broth - 2 l.
- Rice noodles - 1 pack (40 grams).
- Chicken fillet - 2-3 pieces.
- Porcini mushrooms (champignons) - 200 grams.
- Green onions - 1 small bunch.
- Ginger root (preferably fresh) - 50 grams.
- Soy sauce - 2 tbsp. spoons.
- Garlic - 4 cloves.
- Star anise - 2 stars.
- Sweet bell pepper - 1 pc.
- Lemon - 1 piece.
- Spices: chili, black pepper, paparik.
- Oil for frying - sesame.
Wok noodles with chicken and vegetables
Perhaps the recipe for wok noodles with vegetables and chicken can rightfully be called the most popular and affordable.
These noodles will cook very quickly, and the tender chicken meat will complement fresh vegetables well.
We will need:
- udon noodles (made from wheat flour) – 150 g;
- chicken breast – 300 g;
- sweet pepper – 2 pcs.;
- onion – 1 pc.;
- tomatoes – 1 – 2 pcs.;
- garlic – 3 cloves;
- soy sauce – 50 ml;
- sunflower oil – 3 – 4 tbsp. l.
- sesame seeds – 1 tbsp. l.
Preparation:
- Boil the noodles until tender, drain and rinse. You can add a teaspoon of vegetable oil to it.
- Cut the food: cut the chicken into narrow pieces (2 - 3 cm), cut the vegetables into strips, and cut the onion into half rings. Chop the garlic using a sharp knife.
- Heat the wok well and place the chicken on it. Fry over high heat, stirring constantly until it turns golden brown.
- Add the vegetables and continue to fry, lowering the heat slightly so that the food does not burn.
- After 5 - 10 minutes, add the noodles, season with sauce, stir well and keep on low heat for about ten minutes.
- Two minutes before cooking, sprinkle the dish with sesame seeds.
These noodles are served with fresh vegetables and herbs. It is best to eat it hot - after heating it loses its taste.
Cooking method
First, peel the ginger and garlic and chop finely. Then cut the bell pepper into strips. Cut the peeled mushrooms into thin slices, cut the chicken into oblong pieces. Place a pot of water on the fire to boil the noodles. Pour sesame oil into a wok pan, heat it up a little, add ginger, and then garlic and mushrooms. While stirring, wait for the mushroom juice to separate. After this, add the chicken and, continuing to stir, wait for the juice to evaporate. Then add soy sauce, star anise, spices to the frying pan and fry the vegetables and meat in all this for about two minutes. Pour chicken broth into the wok, add lemon juice and finely chopped green onions. Meanwhile, the noodles are cooked, you need to drain the water from them and add them to the wok with the vegetables and meat.
How to cook “Noodles with vegetables in wok”
Separate the broccoli into florets, rinse thoroughly and place in ice water for a minute. Drain and set aside. Do the same with the peas.
Saute the celery and onion in olive oil, cutting it into half rings, then add chopped garlic and ground red pepper, fry everything for about a minute.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the fried vegetables from the pan and set aside. Cut the pork into small pieces and fry in a wok until pink, then add the chopped mushrooms.
Now add broccoli, peas, chopped bell pepper into strips, and almonds with sesame seeds. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything well.
Now is the time to cook the udon noodles. Dip it in boiling water and keep it for 3 minutes. Drain the water and throw it into the wok with the prepared vegetables and meat.
Wok noodle sauce
The most popular sauce for this dish is teriyaki. This word translates as “to shine” and “to fry.” Chicken, fish or pork, fried with the addition of this sauce, become simply caramelized and shiny. The syrup itself is similar to thick wine with a specific aroma. This sauce is similar in taste to ordinary soy sauce, but its color is more saturated. There are two types of teriyaki - for marinating and for drizzling. It contains rice wine or vodka, honey, many spices, garlic and sesame seeds; there are many other recipes for its preparation. In supermarkets you can find a special seasoning with a lot of spices that can be added to this sauce. Thanks to it, Chinese dishes, in particular wok noodles, will acquire a very original and unusual taste.
With Teriyaki sauce
Teriyaki sauce can be purchased at any large supermarket or specialty food store for oriental cuisine. Egg noodles work well as a base.
Ingredients:
- egg noodles – 200 g;
- teriyaki sauce – 1 packet/70 g;
- chicken – 200 g;
- bell pepper – 1 pc.;
- leek – 30 g;
- carrots – 1 pc.;
- champignons – 150 g.
How to cook:
- Cook the noodles as described above.
- Cut the chicken into small pieces, chop the vegetables into strips.
- Prepare the champignons separately - defrost them, if necessary, lightly fry them in a frying pan. Set aside for now.
- Fry the chicken in a hot wok until golden brown. Add mushrooms and vegetables to it and fry until the carrots and peppers are soft.
- Pour in Teriyaki sauce, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add chopped leeks before serving.
Teriyaki sauce has a pleasant spicy taste and does not require the addition of any additional spices, but this dish goes well with fresh herbs.
