Grandma’s Taiwanese Stir-fry Noodles (Chao Mi Fen)

Chen says that if there’s one dish her grandma makes better than anyone else, it’s her stir-fry noodles. It has the perfect balance of flavours and textures and is packed with vegetables. All her friends and relatives request it when they visit her.

4 Servings 300 g rice vermicelli noodles

1½ tsp olive oil

1 cabbage (about 450 g), thinly sliced 1 cup Chinese celery, cut into

2-in (5-cm) pieces

½ cup carrot, cut into matchsticks

1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms

½ cup sliced fresh black fungus

¼ cup light soy sauce

3 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce

1 tsp white pepper

½ tsp granulated sugar

2½ cups water (approx)

1 tbsp fried shallots (see tip)

1 tbsp shallot oil (see tip)

cilantro leaves, for garnish

1. In bowl, cover noodles with cold water and soak for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. In large frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add cabbage, celery, carrots, mushrooms and black fungus. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms start to sweat, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Stir in soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper and sugar. Add water and bring to a simmer. Add noodles and, using chopsticks, loosen them to prevent breaking. Mix to evenly coat in the sauce.

4. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. If noodles are still firm, add more water, 1 tbsp at a time, until cooked. Gently stir in fried shallots and shallot oil.

5. Transfer to large serving plate and garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately.

1. To make fried shallots, thinly slice 450 g of shallots (about 25 shallots) crosswise. Heat 4 cups of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 325°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Fry shallots ½ cup at a time until they start to brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them because they cook quickly and can easily burn. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shallots to a paper-towellined plate. Let cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 1 month. Yields 3 cups.

2. Don’t throw away the oil you use to fry the shallots! Store it in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. It’s super fragrant and delicious. Drizzle it over steamed vegetables, and they will instantly be packed with flavour.

Ingredients Method Tips:

Recipe excerpted from Tiffy Cooks by Tiffy Chen. Adapted for ELLE Gourmet. Copyright © 2024 Tiffy Chen. Photography and illustrations by Vanessa Wong. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved.