We first had this Shanghai noodle dish at a popular Shanghainese restaurant in Beijing called “Shanghai Min” (Xiao Nan Guo / 小南国). It looked so good from the picture, we knew we had to try it. It was love at first bite, and I knew I had to learn to make it and share it with everyone. After a little research, I found out how ridiculously easy it is to make. The restaurant version had ground pork in it, but I decided to take it out and make our scallion oil noodles vegetarian friendly. One more big point: the sauce really packs a punch with an intense soy scallion flavor, so spoon a small amount over each individual portion of noodles and save any leftovers for quick meals later! Note: We originally published this scallion oil noodles recipe in February 2014. Since then, we recently re-tested and re-photographed the recipe to post this improved version with clearer photos!
The Importance of Julienned Scallions
The best part of a bowl of scallion oil noodles is the crispy fried scallions. Make sure that you pat the scallions thoroughly dry after washing, so they don’t splatter too much when they hit the hot oil. Also be sure to julienne the scallions properly, cutting them into shorter lengths, and then thinly slicing them lengthwise into thin strips. This will ensure that your scallions have a good crispy texture! Ok, on to the recipe.
Shanghai Scallion Oil Noodles: Recipe Instructions
Heat oil in your wok over medium heat, add the scallions, and let them fry slowly. You can start with the white parts of the scallions: And then add the green parts after they’ve wilted down a bit. This part of the process takes some time, so be patient and allow the scallions to crisp up. Once they start to turn golden brown, remove the scallions from the oil and set aside. To the oil, add both kinds of soy sauce and the sugar. Use low heat and cook the mixture for about two minutes, until it starts to bubble up. If you want to add pork to your noodles, simply brown the ground pork over high heat with about 3 tablespoons oil. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped scallions, and season with a bit of salt. This recipe serves six. Portion out the noodles into bowls, and start with a tablespoon of sauce (it really doesn’t take much!). You can keep adding a bit more until the saltiness is to your liking. If using the pork, add a spoonful of your crispy pork and scallion mixture to the top, along with a small handful of the reserved fried scallions. In our case, we tossed all the noodles with sauce in a big bowl, and then added the scallions afterwards as a garnish. Toss it all together and dig in. Store any leftover sauce in the fridge for an even faster meal later!
