Can’t seem to get enough of them, so much so, that when it came to designing my cookbook cover, instead of doing a generic food image I opted it for an illustration of a noodle doodle !
Here are three of my favourite noodle recipes from my Asian vegetarian cookbook, A Spark of Madness.
The recipes have elements of spice, flavour and slurpy goodness. We’ve got a great recipe for everyone’s favourite Dan Dan noodles, a Sichuan and Cumin Udon and a Japanese Tantanmen.
How to make these noodles taste even better? By adding some Spark Sauces. Go ahead and try it yourself.
Sichuan Peppercorn and Cumin Udon (vg)
Leafy Greens/Tofu/Fried Egg
Serves: 2/Large Plate
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Best Eaten: Hot
Vegan: Omit the fried eggs
This dish is popular in northern China and combines Sichuan peppercorns with a popular Indian spice, cumin. The flavours of this dish are earthy and with the balance of chewy udon and the creaminess of egg yolk, you are in for a treat!
If udon is not available, then use any thick noodles.
400g Udon Noodles (fresh/frozen)
1 tsp Sesame Oil (only if using frozen udon)
2 tsp Sichuan Peppercorns/1 tsp Sichuan Pepper Powder
1 tsp Whole Cumin Seeds/½ tsp Cumin Powder
2 Tbsp Neutral Oil, divided
200g Leafy Greens, chopped (spinach leaves, gai lan, pak choy, etc.)
2 Tbsp Soya Sauce
1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
½ tsp Sugar
½ tsp Salt
2 Eggs
Tofu and Pepper Marinade:
200g Extra Firm Tofu/Mock Meat
1 (180g) Red Bell Pepper, de-seeded and cubed
2” piece Ginger, grated
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
2 Tbsp Vegetarian Oyster Sauce/Dark Soya Sauce
Serve with:
Spark Caramelised Spring Onion
Cut the tofu into rough chunks. If you are using mock meat, then roughly chop it.
If you are using frozen udon, thaw in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Then, drain the water and toss in a splash of sesame oil. Fresh udon can be used directly.
For the tofu and pepper marinade, mix the tofu and red bell pepper with ginger, garlic and vegetarian oyster sauce. Cover with cling film and keep aside.
In a small pan on low heat, dry roast the Sichuan peppercorns and cumin seeds till they start to smoke. Take it off the pan, let it cool down and then use a grinder/mortar to crush the spices into a powder. If you are using powdered Sichuan pepper and cumin, then dry roast for only a few seconds and skip the grinding step.
Place a wok on high heat, let it smoke and then pour 1 Tbsp oil. Add the marinated tofu and peppers, along with the marinade sauce. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes, till golden brown on both sides.
Then, add the udon, leafy greens, soya sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, salt and powdered spices. Cook for 1-2 minutes until all the flavors are well incorporated.
In a separate small pan, add the remainder (1 Tbsp) oil and fry the eggs, (if you are plating in two separate plates, then fry the eggs separately). Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the eggs.
Divide the noodles into two serving bowls, top with the fried egg, a spoon of caramelised spring onion and a drizzle of everyday chili oil.
Tricks of the Trade: If you are using a spice grinder to grind spices, then let the spices settle to the base for a minute, before opening the lid.
Dan Dan (vg)
Soya Crumble/Pickled Greens/Crack Sauce
Serves: 2/Large Plate
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Best Eaten: Hot
Vegan: Omit the fried eggs
Dan Dan can be soupy or dry. It can have lots of different toppings or just crack sauce. It can be made with any type of noodles or even pasta.
What I am trying to say is, there are no wrong answers and all variations of dan dan are delicious.
I like mine with ribbon-shaped pasta (as it holds the most amount of sauce), with soya crumble, pickled greens, Sichuan roasted peanuts and a fried egg. Freestyle with whatever your heart desires!
300g Fresh/150g Dried Noodles or Pasta (any of your choice)
1 Tbsp Neutral Oil
2 Eggs
Soya Crumble:
100g Dried Soya Granules/200g Mock Meat, crumbled
1 Tbsp Neutral Oil
2 tsp Hoisin Sauce
2 tsp Rice Vinegar
1 tsp Soya Sauce
½ tsp Five Spice Powder
Pickled Greens:
100g Leafy Greens, chopped (spinach leaves, seaweed, pak choy, etc.)
1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds, roasted
½ tsp Sugar
½ tsp Salt
Crack Sauce:
2 Tbsp Spark Crispy Chili Oil
2 Tbsp Tahini
1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
2 Tbsp Soya Sauce
1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
¼ tsp Sichuan Pepper, crushed
1 tsp Sugar
Garnish:
Roasted Peanuts, crushed
Spring Onion, finely chopped (green stalks only)
If you are using dried soya granules, then follow the packet instructions for cooking.
For the soya crumble, place a wok on high heat, let it smoke and then add the oil and the cooked soya granules. Once it starts to roast, add all the other seasonings. Lower the heat to medium and cook till all the liquid has evaporated and then keep aside.
For the noodles, bring a pot of salted water to boil; cook the noodles till al dente (if you are using fresh noodles, then cook for 2 minutes, and for dried noodles/pasta, 4-5 minutes).
Drain the noodles and rinse in cold water. Save ¼ cup of noodle water and some more (around 2 cups) if you prefer a soupy dan dan.
For the pickled greens, add the greens to the same pot as the noodles and cook for a minute. This can be done at the same time while the noodles are cooking. Use a slotted spoon to remove the greens from the water and then give it a quick wash in cold water to stop it cooking further. Next, add in all the seasonings, mix and keep aside.
For the crack sauce, stir all the ingredients with ¼ cup of noodle water till it forms a smooth paste. If you prefer a soupy dan dan, then add more noodle water.
In a separate small pan, add 1 Tbsp oil and fry the eggs, (if you are plating in two separate plates, then fry the eggs separately). Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the eggs.
Assemble two bowls –first divide the noodles, then the sauce. Choose to either mix the sauce and noodles together or serve it with the sauce on top of the noodles. Then, add the soya crumble, drained pickled greens and a fried egg to each bowl. Lastly, garnish with crushed peanuts, chopped spring onion and a drizzle of crispy chili oil.
Tricks of the Trade: To go the extra mile with the peanuts, make Sichuan spiced nuts. These also make a great snack on their own. Roast peanuts with sesame oil and 1 tsp each of Sichuan pepper, sugar and salt on low heat for 3-4 minutes.
Tantanmen (vg)
Ajitsuke Tamago/Dumplings/Pak Choy
Serves: 2/Large Plate
Cooking Time: 35 minutes + 2 hours chilling
Best Eaten: Hot
Vegan: Omit the ramen egg
Tantanmen is the Japanese ramen version of Dan Dan, complete with noodles in a sesame and spice-laced broth, soya crumble, pak choy, dumplings and the star of the show – ajitsuke tamago (ramen egg). By now, you know how much I love eggs and noodles together, and this soy sauce marinated soft-boiled egg is absolutely delicious!
The main difference between tantanmen and dan dan is the addition of soya milk to the broth, so that cannot be substituted.
There are several components to this dish, but it is quick and easy to make!
1 tsp Neutral Oil
4 pieces Store-Bought Dumplings
300g Fresh/150g Dried Ramen Noodles
4 heads Pak Choy, trimmed
Ajitsuke Tamago:
1 Egg, cold (refrigerated)
2 Tbsp Soya Sauce
2 Tbsp Vinegar
Broth:
2 cups Vegetable Stock
½ cup Soya Milk
2 Tbsp Tahini
1.5 Tbsp Soya Sauce
1 Tbsp Spark Crispy Chili Oil
1 tsp Rice Vinegar
½ tsp Sugar
½ tsp Salt
Soya Crumble:
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
150g Mock Meat/Extra Firm Tofu, crumble
1 Tbsp Sake/Rice Vinegar
1.5 tsp Miso Paste + 1 Tbsp Hot Water
1.5 tsp Soya Sauce
Garnish:
Shichimi Togarashi
For the ajitsuke tamago, bring a pot of water to boil. Take the egg from the fridge and place it in the boiling hot water. Boil the egg for exactly 7 minutes and keep moving the egg every 2 minutes with a spoon, as this ensures that the yolk sets in the middle. Keep a bowl of ice water ready, and after 7 minutes, transfer the egg from the pot to the ice water bowl. Whilst the egg is cooling down, in a small bowl combine the soya sauce, vinegar and 2 Tbsp water. Peel the egg's shell off, place the peeled egg in the seasoning bowl, cover with cling film, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
For the broth, place all the ingredients in a pot. Cover with a lid and let it simmer for 20 minutes on low heat. Stir it halfway through.
For the soya crumble, pour oil in a small pan, fry the ginger-garlic paste. Then, add all the other ingredients and stir-fry for 8-10 minutes on low heat till all the sauces are absorbed and the mock meat is cooked through. Transfer to a bowl and keep aside.
For the dumplings, in the same pan as earlier, add 1 tsp oil and pan-fry the dumplings for 2-3 minutes. Then, add ¼ cup of water to the pan, cover with a lid and cook until the water is absorbed (roughly 5-6 minutes).
For the noodles, bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook the fresh noodles for 2-3 minutes or the dried noodles for 4-5 minutes (the noodles should be al dente, as it will cook further in the hot broth). Place the pak choy in the same pot whilst the noodles are cooking and remove the pak choy with a slotted spoon after a minute.
To assemble the tantanmen, divide the noodles in two bowls, then pour the hot broth over the noodles. Add the soya crumble, pan-fried dumplings and blanched pak choy on top of the noodles. Next, cut the egg in half and place half in each bowl (the egg yolk will be slightly runny). Sprinkle togarashi and serve.
Advance Cooking: Ajitsuke tamago can be made the day before and marinated for up to 24 hours. The rest of the components are best made before serving.
Tricks of the Trade: This recipe requires several utensils, but I’ve tried to minimize the washing-up by mentioning where the same utensils can be used.
A handy tool is to always have a plate as a spoon rest when cooking, so you can have all your cooking utensils and a tasting spoon in one place.
