Crispy Fried Noodles Recipe

Crispy Fried Noodles is a popular dish among South East Asians and there are different varieties of recipes that can be found across these cultures. Crispy Fried Noodles is quite easy to make and takes a few minutes but tastes amazing.

Two main methods are used to make crispy fried noodles, both of which will be discussed in detail in this article. We will also look at various toppings you can put on the crispy fried noodles to enhance the flavor.

So follow along as we prepare one of the most famous dishes of South East Asia, Crispy Fried Noodles.

Ingredients

For Making Fried Noodles

The first and most important ingredient to make Fried Noodles is noodles. Nicoise Noodles work the best for making crispy Fried Noodles but pretty much any good noodles will do the job such as thin egg noodles, wonton noodles, and even angel hair pasta.

You will also need a pot full of boiling water to boil the noodles and a wok or pan with vegetable oil for frying the noodles.

For Toppings

Here are the ingredients for toppings. You can use the toppings of your choice.

• Chinese Yellow Chives, cut into 2-inch sections
• 80 grams of pork loins, cut into sheets
• Dried shitake mushrooms
• salt
• sugar
• cornstarch
• Soy sauce
• Algea Wine
• Oyster sauce
• Vegetable oil
• water

Cooking Process

The cooking process of making Crispy Fried Noodles can be divided into three main parts such as boiling the noodles, drying the noodles, and frying the noodles. All of these are described below.

Boiling the Noodles

Fill a pot with water and put it on the stove. Bring the water to a boil and then submerge the noodles in the water. Cook the noodles for about 45 seconds to a minute or follow the instructions on the packet. Do not overcook the noodles as it will make them soggy.

Use a skimmer to take the noodles out of the pot and put it on a plate. You can use a paper towel to get rid of the excess moisture.

Drying the Noodles

Use chopsticks or a fork to hold the noodles in front of a table fan to cool down the noodles. Handle the noodles gently to avoid breaking them at any place. Make sure that the table fan is clean or else the dust particles get into the noodles.

Frying the Noodles

There are two methods for frying the noodles. One is deep frying in oil and the other is frying it on a pan. Both are discussed below.

Deep Frying

For deep frying, fill up a wok or a pot with vegetable oil and turn on the heat to medium-high. Slowly submerge the noodles when the oil is considerably hot. Use a strainer at first as it will help to keep the round shape of the noodles. Flip the noodles after deep frying one side.

Pan Frying

Pan frying uses less oil and it is considerably healthier. Get your wok or pan piping hot. Put enough vegetable oil to coat the surface properly. Put the noodles on the wok or pan and fry while slowly moving the noodles to avoid burning or sticking to the pan. Fry each side for about one and a half minutes or until golden brown. 

Toppings

Here are the steps to prepare the toppings.

Step 1

Lightly toast the Chinese Yellow Chives on the wok or the pan.

Step 2

Cut the pork loins into thin sheets and marinate them with ¼ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of sugar, ¼ teaspoon of cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon of soya sauce, and ¼ teaspoon of vegetable oil. Keep it marinated for about 15 minutes.

Step 3

Put the dried shitake mushrooms in hot water and wait until they absorb all the water. Take the mushrooms out of the water but do not throw away the water as it will be used later. Cut the stems off and thinly slice the mushrooms.

Marinate the mushrooms with  ¼ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of sugar, ¼ teaspoon of cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon of soya sauce, and ¼ teaspoon of vegetable oil. Marinate for about 15 minutes.

Step 4

Heat the wok or the pan and put the pork loins in the pan. Stir them for a minute until they become silver and add the mushrooms. Stir fry them together and add ½ tablespoon of algae wine.

Step 5

Add the liquid that was used to rehydrate the mushrooms and keep stirring.

Step 6

Add ¼ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of sugar, ½ teaspoon of soy sauce, and a tablespoon of oyster sauce.

Step 7

Add the lightly toasted Chinese yellow chives.

Step 8

Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with three tablespoons of water and add this slurry to the pan.

Step 9

Stir everything for a minute until the liquid has thickened to your liking, turn off the heat, and get the cooked toppings off the stove.

Step 10

Arrange the fried noodles in a bowl and put the toppings on top of the noodles and garnish with the greens of your liking.

Notes

You can use scallions instead of Chinese Yellow Chives. Toppings can be made from anything that is available in your kitchen, there are no rules for it. Play around with different ingredients to find the recipe that works best for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Types of Noodles Go Best With This Recipe?

Any type of thin noodles goes best with this recipe. You can use any egg noodles you find at your local Asian store.

Does Deep Frying Noodles Make Them Unhealthy?

Yes, deep frying noodles does make them unhealthy but this dish has to be prepared this way so skip this dish if you are trying to eat healthier.

Is This Dish Vegan?

No, but you can easily skip the non-vegan ingredients and use the vegan-friendly toppings like tofu. 

Are the Chinese Yellow Chives Mandatory for This Recipe?

No, the Chinese Yellow Chives are not mandatory for this recipe and you can use other green vegetables as well.