The dinner that saves busy weekdays
Stir-fried noodles are the Asian weekday classic that never fails: noodles, vegetables and a simple sauce in a screaming-hot pan, ready in fifteen minutes. The dish exists in countless variations across Asia – Chinese chow mein, Japanese yakisoba and Thai pad thai are all related stir-fried noodles – and at home you can make your own with whatever's in the fridge.
What you need for four servings
- 300 g noodles – egg noodles or wheat noodles work best
- 400 g chicken strips, pork, prawns or tofu
- 2 carrots in thin sticks
- 1 bell pepper in strips
- 2 cloves of garlic and a thumb of grated ginger
- 3 spring onions in pieces
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Neutral oil for frying
How to make it
- Cook the noodles one minute less than the package says, rinse in cold water and drain well. Toss with a few drops of oil so they don't stick.
- Mix soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil into a sauce.
- Heat the pan or wok until it's almost smoking. Fry the protein first, take it out.
- Fry garlic, ginger and vegetables for 2–3 minutes – they should still have bite.
- Return noodles and protein to the pan, pour over the sauce and toss everything on high heat for a couple of minutes.
- Finish with spring onion and serve piping hot.
The tricks that make the difference
The secret behind restaurant-style stir-fried noodles is heat and dry noodles. The pan should be hot enough that the noodles sizzle on contact, and well-drained noodles get fried – not steamed. Let the noodles sit still in the pan for 30 seconds at a time, and they'll pick up the light sear that gives that wok flavour.
Variations
Change the sauce and you have a new dish: a spoonful of hoisin takes it sweeter and more Chinese; a little curry powder makes Singapore noodles; and if you want it hot, finish with a spoon of chili oil or a sauce from the spicy shelf. With rice noodles and fish sauce you're on the way to pad thai – which has its own recipe.
Frequently asked questions
Which noodles are best for stir-frying? Egg noodles and wheat noodles handle high heat and hold their shape. Rice noodles work too, but are more delicate – soak them instead of boiling.
Why do the noodles stick to the pan? Either the pan is too cold, or the noodles too wet. High heat and well-drained noodles solve both.
Can I use instant noodles? Yes! Cook them without the seasoning sachet, rinse in cold water, and use them like regular noodles in the pan.
What's the difference between chow mein and lo mein? Chow mein is fried until the noodles get crispy edges, lo mein is just tossed in the sauce. This recipe is closest to chow mein.
Shop the ingredients at FUDI
Everything for noodle night in one place: noodles of every kind, soy sauce, oyster sauce and the rest of the Asian sauces. Unsure about the noodle types? Read our guide to noodle types.
