These Chinese longevity noodles have the goodness of ginger, mushrooms and cabbage packaged into one easy, simple but extraordinarily tasty dish. In China, these noodles are eaten during the Chinese new year and at celebrations and festivities. The noodle strands are supposed to remain long and unbroken, so your life is too. The ingredient list is simple and quite short. I also add to these noodles an ingredient that offers the body much-needed warmth during these cold winter months and that fits in perfectly in this recipe: sesame seeds. They add crunch and even more flavor. So go on, make these. And if you live to be a hundred, don’t blame me! 😉
Why you will love this recipe
Sumptuous. With a short ingredient list and quick cooking time, this is an easy recipe. But there is so much flavor here! Healthy recipe. You can use wholegrain noodles or pasta to make this dish. Everything else here is also so, so good for you. Easy to make. You do need to ensure you keep the ingredients moving in the wok so as to not scorch anything over high heat. But other than that this is a pretty easy recipe. Vegan, nut-free and can be gluten-free. You can use gluten-free noodles to make these longevity noodles. Because gf noodles can be quite starchy, make sure you oil them thoroughly once they are cooked so they don’t stick together.
Ingredients
Noodles: I use angel hair pasta because it works nicely and is more likely to be vegan. You can also use lo mein noodles but these often contain eggs, so read the labels. Sesame oil. This nutty oil gives the most authentic flavor. If you don’t have it, use any unflavored, neutral oil of your choice. Sesame seeds. Sesame seeds add lovely crunch and more nutty flavor in each bite. Ginger. This adds a ton of flavor. I like using lots of ginger in this recipe. Vegetables: onions, cabbage (purple or green), button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms and scallions (spring onions). You can also use snow peas, julienned carrots, bell peppers, water chestnuts, broccoli and other quick-cooking veggies in this recipe. Flavorings: red pepper flakes, tamari or soy sauce and rice wine vinegar (use regular vinegar if you don’t have this).
Top tips
Don’t cook the noodles or pasta all the way. Cook until they are almost al dente, then immediately drain, wash, and coat with oil. The noodles will cook a bit more in the wok, and leaving them a little undercooked will help them fry better without mushing up in the wok. Add more of the seasonings – red pepper flakes, vinegar and soy sauce – to tweak the recipe to your taste. Keep everything moving in the wok at all times, to ensure nothing burns and sticks to the wok. Remember you are cooking this stir-fry over high heat at all times. The high heat helps ensure that the veggies don’t turn soggy.
Serving suggestions
With a tofu recipe like this mango chipotle glazed tofu. With vegetable manchurian, an Indo-Chinese dish of vegetable dumplings in a sweet and savory sauce.
Storage instructions
Refrigerate: Store the noodles in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days. Freeze: Freeze the Chinese longevity noodles in a freezer-safe container for up to two months. Reheat. Thaw and reheat in a hot wok or in the microwave before serving.
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