You Po Mian, also known as “hot oil noodles,” is an iconic dish from Shaanxi province in northwestern China. It proves that all you need is hot oil, garlic and a few chili flakes to turn a plain bowl of noodles into a complete meal with real depth of flavor. It’s one of those dishes so typical of northern China, where wheat noodles, garlic, black vinegar and plenty of dried chilies rule.
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Shaanxi is a cradle of Chinese civilization and the home of the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC), which unified China. The provincial capital is Xi’an, formerly known as Chang’an, which served as the capital of 13 dynasties. Impressive monuments survive from that era, such as the Terracotta Army guarding the mausoleum of the first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, and Xi’an’s ancient city walls. Shaanxi is also home to majestic mountains such as the Qinling range and Mount Hua, one of China’s Five Great Mountains and a sacred site of Taoism.
The History of Hot Oil Noodles
The dish goes back centuries, to a time when Shaanxi grew huge amounts of wheat. Local people made hand-pulled noodles from that wheat and paired them with a simple sauce of hot oil and spices. Hot oil noodles soon became a favorite among farmers and laborers, who appreciated how filling and affordable they were.
Ingredients and Preparation
You Po Mian is built on a handful of basic ingredients:
- Noodles: Traditionally, hand-pulled wheat noodles are used, but store-bought noodles work too. Look for wide wheat noodles or “biang biang” style noodles at Asian grocery stores.
- Hot oil: The oil is heated until very hot and then poured over the noodles and their seasonings, which releases their aromas and makes them sizzle.
- Seasonings: The most common are dried chili flakes, garlic, scallions and cilantro.
- Sauce: The sauce is usually a mix of soy sauce, black vinegar and oil.
Variations and Tips
You can adapt hot oil noodles to your taste by adding sliced meat, tofu, vegetables or an egg. Adjust the amount of chili flakes to the heat level you like. For a richer flavor, you can also add a little hoisin sauce or honey.
Hot Oil Noodles (Yóu Pō Miàn 油泼面)
Ingredients
- 400 g wheat noodles about 14 oz; wide hand-pulled noodles are ideal
- 1 bunch leafy greens bok choy, choy sum or spinach
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp Chinese black vinegar
- 4-6 tsp chili flakes to taste
- 2 scallions chopped
- 2 handfuls cilantro
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 6 tbsp neutral oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to the package directions until al dente. Fresh hand-pulled noodles need only 1½–2 minutes, depending on their thickness. Blanch the leafy greens in the same pot with the noodles.
- Transfer the cooked noodles and greens to a heatproof bowl and add the soy sauce and black vinegar. Top with the chili flakes, salt, scallions, cilantro and garlic.
- Heat the oil in a small pot until very hot and shimmering. Carefully pour the hot oil over the toppings in the bowl – it will sizzle – then toss everything together.