Name: Shanghai Scallion Oil Noodles
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 200 g Noodles, plain wheat noodles; 1 bunch Spring Onion Greens, cut into 5 cm lengths and thoroughly dried; ¼ cup Neutral Oil, for infusing; 1½ tbsp Soy Sauce, light soy sauce; 1 tsp Dark Soy Sauce, for colour and depth; 2 tsp Sugar, for the sauce; 2 tbsp Water, for the sauce

25 mintotal

Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: None

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Ingredients

200 gNoodlesplain wheat noodles
1 bunchSpring Onion Greenscut into 5 cm lengths and thoroughly dried
¼ cupNeutral Oilfor infusing
1½ tbspSoy Saucelight soy sauce
1 tspDark Soy Saucefor colour and depth
2 tspSugarfor the sauce
2 tbspWaterfor the sauce

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

No inactive time is required; the scallion oil cooks slowly but actively over low heat, so watch the greens as they darken.

Method

Put the spring onion greens and neutral oil in a small frying pan while both are still cold. Set the pan over low heat.
Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, turning the spring onion pieces occasionally, until they are deeply browned and crisp but not black. Remove the crisp pieces and reserve them.
10–12 min
Add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and water to the scallion oil. Stir over low heat for 1 minute, until the sugar dissolves and the sauce looks glossy, then turn off the heat.
1 min
Cook the noodles in boiling water according to their package directions until just tender. Drain well, without rinsing, so the sauce clings to them.
Place the hot noodles in a bowl, add 3 tablespoons of the scallion sauce and toss thoroughly. Add more sauce to taste, top with the crisp spring onion pieces and serve immediately.

How to tell it's done

The noodles should be separate, springy and evenly glossy, with no pool of oil at the bottom. The spring onion pieces should be crisp and deeply browned, not burnt.

Getting it right

Tip

Begin with cold oil and low heat so the spring onion flavour infuses gradually. Remove the pieces as soon as they become deep brown because they continue to darken in the hot oil.

What to serve it with

Serve as a simple meal with blanched greens or cucumber salad. Keep any extra sauce refrigerated and use within 3 days.

Common mistakes

The scallion oil tastes bitter or harsh.: Cook the scallions slowly over low heat and stop when the greens are deep golden-brown, not black. Burnt scallions make the whole oil bitter.

Substitutions

Noodles — Use plain wheat noodles with a firm texture; avoid strongly flavoured instant noodle seasoning packets.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate extra scallion oil in a clean covered jar for up to 3 days. Dressed noodles keep separately for up to 2 days and can be loosened with a splash of hot water; freezing is not recommended.

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