Penang Rice Noodles
Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as an accompaniment.
8 ounces (225g) dried rice noodles (see below)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 green onions, cut diagonally into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic
8 ounces Chinese greens such as bok
choy (see below) cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
6 ounces (175 g) fresh Chinese yellow or green chives,
or fresh chives, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine (see below) or dry sherry
2 tablespoons light soy (see below)
2 tablespoons vegetarian
oyster-flavored sauce (see below) or dark soy sauce (see below)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces (175 g) bean sprouts
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of warm water for 2 minutes. Then drain them in
a colander or sieve. Heat a wok or large skillet over a high heat until it is
hot. Add the oil and, when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the onion,
green onions, garlic, Chinese greens, and Chinese chives. Stir-fry for 4
minutes. Then add the noodles, rice wine or sherry, light soy sauce, oyster
sauce or dark soy sauce, salt and pepper and continue to stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Add the bean sprouts and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Finally, drizzle in the
sesame oil and give the mixture a good stir.
Serve at once.
Dried Rice Noodles are opaque white and come in a variety of shapes. One of the
most common examples is rice-stick noodles, which are flat and about the length
of a chopstick. They can also vary in thickness. Light soy sauce is light in
color, but it is full of flavor and is the better one to use for cooking. It is
saltier than dark soy sauce and is known in Chinese grocers as Superior Soy.
Vegetarian oyster-flavored sauce can be bought in Chinese grocers and
supermarkets. Despite its name, it does not have a fishy taste. It is full of
rich flavor and is used in cooking and as a condiment, diluted with a little
oil, for vegetables, poultry and meats. |