Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Shaanxi Oil-Splashed Noodles
陝西油潑麵
Recipe overview
Ready-made dried wide noodles meet greens, garlic and chili awakened by a small splash of hot oil. Hand-pulled dough preparation is not included.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 400 g Dried wide wheat noodles
- 300 g Pak choi
- 150 g Bean sprouts
- 25 g Garlic
- 25 g Spring onions
Sauce seasoning
- 30 ml Light soy sauce
- 25 ml Chinese black vinegar
- 8 g Chili flakes
- 1 g Salt
Cooking oil
- 60 ml Cooking oil
02
Tools
- Noodle pot and sieve
- Small stainless-steel pan
- Four dry heatproof deep bowls
- Knife, board and chopsticks
03
Steps
Step 1
Prepare noodles and bowls
Measure 400 g dried wide noodles, check their cooking time and set out four dry heatproof bowls.
Step 2
Wash greens
Wash and drain pak choi, splitting thick stems lengthwise. Remove discoloured sprouts and rinse the rest.
Step 3
Mince garlic and onion
Finely mince garlic and slice spring onions; blot away excess surface water to reduce splashing.
Step 4
Divide the sauce
Mix soy sauce and black vinegar, divide between the four bowls and add one quarter of the salt to each.
Step 5
Boil noodle water
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil with room for the noodles to move; add no oil.
Step 6
Cook wide noodles
Boil noodles according to their package, about 8 minutes, stirring gently at the start; adjust for the noodles used.
Step 7
Cook vegetables
Add sprouts and pak choi 2 minutes before noodles finish, cooking until sprouts are steaming hot and greens tender.
Step 8
Drain into bowls
Check noodles have no hard floury centre. Drain noodles and vegetables well and divide between the bowls.
Step 9
Add aromatic mounds
Divide garlic, spring onions and chili into four piles on top of the noodles, above the wet sauce.
Step 10
Heat the oil
Heat 60 ml oil over medium heat for about 1 minute until fluid and shimmering, not smoking; turn the handle inward.
Step 11
Pour carefully
Turn off heat and slowly pour about 15 ml oil over each aromatic mound from low height. Keep bowls stable and face and hands clear.
Step 12
Toss and serve
When sizzling subsides, lift noodles from the bottom with chopsticks to coat with sauce and serve hot.
Common mistakes
- Wet or cold non-heatproof glass can crack under hot oil.
- Smoking oil burns the chili bitter.
- Pouring high or directly into wet sauce causes dangerous splashes.
- Undrained noodles dilute the sauce.
Tips
Set all four bowls on a stable heatproof surface before heating the oil. Use only 60 ml divided four ways; no large oil bath or smoking heat is needed. Blot garlic and onions dry and keep sauce beneath the noodles so hot oil meets the aromatics with less splashing.
