Black Garlic Kitchen

Black Garlic Longevity Noodles

Black Garlic Kitchen’s recipe for Longevity Noodles is based on the traditional Chinese ‘Spring Festival’ dish that symbolises long life, happiness, and prosperity.
Yi mein noodles (also called E-fu noodles or longevity noodles) are seasoned with umami rich ingredients such as soy sauce and oyster sauce which marry perfectly with an extra flavour ‘punch’ from Black Garlic. Tossed and stir-fried together with fresh vibrant vegetables. Tradition says that the noodle strands are supposed to remain long and unbroken, so your life is too. So….don’t break the noodles!

Fun Fact – There are many Lunar New Year celebrations in different countries. Lunar New Year celebrations are based on the Lunar or lunisolar calendar. A lunar calendar tracks the date based on the phases of the moon. The lunisolar calendar tracks the date using both the sun and the moon.

Black Garlic Longevity Noodles

Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 5 mins approx. | Serves: 4 as a side dish

Ingredients*

  • 3 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil or black sesame oil
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tbsp Black Garlic Paste
  • 210g (1 pack) Yi Mein Noodles (also called E-fu or longevity noodles**
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 medium-sized carrot – peeled and cut into julienne strips
  • 120g fresh shiitake mushrooms – thinly sliced
  • 80g mange tout – topped and tailed then cut in half on the diagonal
  • 1 x pak choi (125g) – 1cm trimmed from the base then leaves thinly sliced
  • 1 x bunch spring onions – washed, trimmed and sliced on the diagonal – white and green parts separated
  • 5 cloves white garlic – crushed
  • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 10 cloves Black Garlic – roughly chopped
 

Top Tip:* measure out and line up the ingredients in the order in which you are going to use them. When this recipe gets going it moves fast – speed is of the essence here!

Garnish

  • Reserved green sliced spring onion
  • Crispy chilli oil (optional)

Method

  • In a jug whisk together the oyster sauce, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, white pepper and Black Garlic paste. Set aside.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan or wok of water to a rolling boil. Boil the noodles for 2 minutes or according to the cooking instructions on the packet. Sample a noodle while cooking; they need to be ‘al dente’ like pasta. It is important to keep them firm and chewy; overcook them, and you will end up with a mushy texture. Drain immediately and set aside.
  • Working quickly – heat the vegetable oil in a wok set over a high heat. Add the carrot, mushrooms, mange tout, pak choi and the white part of the spring onions. Add the white garlic and ginger. Stir fry for 30 seconds, stirring continuously.
  • Add the noodles (they still should be warm and very well drained). Stir fry for another 30 seconds.
  • Add the prepared sauce mixture and chopped Black Garlic over the noodles. Gently stir-fry everything together over a high heat for 30 seconds, (taking great care not to break the noodles !), until the sauce mixture is distributed evenly.
  • Slide the noodles onto a large plate, garnish with the remaining green parts of the spring onion and a drizzle of crispy chilli oil (if using). Serve immediately.
 

Top Tip:** source the right type of noodles for an authentic taste. Yi Mein aka E-fu Noodles is the traditional choice for longevity noodles. The noodles are made from wheat flour and are deep-fried before being formed into round cylindrical bricks then dried. They are unique because they have a chewy, yet spongy texture and are quite elastic, which makes them ideal for absorbing sauces. Yi Mein noodles can be found in Asian grocery stores and sourced online. Chinese egg noodles, Lo Mein or any other long noodle can also be used.

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