Chinese wheat noodles with vegetables and pan-fried egg Recipe
Homemade wheat noodles with vegetables and egg is a simple, filling dish inspired by Chinese street noodle stalls. The dough is made from flour and water, then cut into thick, soft strips that are something between pasta and dumplings. It’s a great way to play with dough and make something different from the usual dried pasta from a packet.
These hand-cut wheat noodles have a wonderfully chewy texture that you can’t get from dried pasta, and they soak up the savory sauce and egg perfectly. The recipe is simple, uses basic pantry ingredients, and brings the feel of a Chinese street-food stir-fry into your home kitchen.
Chef's tips
Don’t rush the dough kneading and resting time – this is what gives the noodles elasticity and makes them easier to roll and cut. Roll the dough evenly so the noodles cook at the same rate. When boiling, cook the noodles in batches and stir gently so they don’t clump together. Have all the vegetables and sauce ingredients prepped before you start stir-frying, because the cooking itself goes very fast.
How to serve
Serve the noodles straight from the pan, topped with extra spring onion or chives and a drizzle of chili oil if you like it spicy. They go well with quick pickled cucumbers or a simple Asian-style salad. You can also add roasted peanuts or toasted sesame seeds on top for extra crunch.
Ingredients
- flour type 450–550 - 250 g
- lukewarm water add a little more if needed - 130 ml
- salt for the dough - 0.5 teaspoons
- oil 1 for the dough, 2 for frying - 3 tablespoons
- eggs - 2 piece
- carrot cut into thin matchsticks - 1 piece
- bell pepper cut into strips - 0.5 piece
- cabbage shredded into strips - 150 g
- onion chopped - 3 tablespoons
- garlic - 2 cloves
- soy sauce - 3 tablespoons
- rice vinegar or light white wine vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- sugar - 0.5 teaspoons
- sesame oil optional, for aroma - 0.5 teaspoons
- black pepper freshly ground - 0.25 teaspoons
Preparation
- Put the flour and salt into a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of oil and gradually pour in the lukewarm water, mixing with a spoon until the ingredients come together.
- Transfer the dough to the counter and knead by hand for 5–7 minutes, until smooth and elastic. If it is very sticky, dust with a little flour, but try not to add too much.
- Shape the dough into a ball, cover with a bowl or plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes to rest.
- In the meantime, prepare the vegetables: peel the carrot and cut into thin matchsticks, slice the bell pepper into strips, and shred the cabbage into thin strips. Finely chop the garlic and slice the spring onion or chives.
- After resting, divide the dough into 3–4 portions. Roll each portion out on a floured surface into a rectangle about 2–3 mm thick. Then cut into strips about 1–1.5 cm wide to make thick noodles.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles in batches, stirring gently so they don’t stick together. Cook for 3–4 minutes from the moment they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and drizzle lightly with oil so they don’t stick.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Crack in the eggs and fry, stirring with a spatula, until you get small pieces of set egg. Once the egg is cooked, transfer it to a plate.
- In the same pan, add the garlic and fry for about 20–30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the carrot, bell pepper and cabbage. Stir-fry for 4–5 minutes over medium heat, stirring often, until the vegetables soften but are still slightly crunchy.
- Add the cooked noodles and fried egg. Pour in the soy sauce and rice vinegar, then add the sugar and pepper. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until everything is well combined and heated through.
- Finally, drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with chopped spring onion or chives. Serve immediately.
Storage
Kluski z warzywami przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku. Podgrzewaj na patelni z odrobiną wody lub oleju, mieszając, aż się dobrze zagrzeją.
