Hot and Sour Noodles (Suān Là Fěn 酸辣粉)
Hot and sour noodles (酸辣粉, Suān Là Fěn) are an iconic Chinese street food from Sichuan: chewy sweet potato noodles in a tangy, spicy broth with crunchy toppings.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 200 g sweet potato noodles about 7 oz, dried
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns use less for a milder tingle
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar
- 1 tbsp chili oil
- 500 ml chicken or vegetable stock about 2 cups
- salt to taste
- chopped cilantro for garnish
- roasted peanuts or fried soybeans for topping
Instructions
- Soak the noodles in warm water for 20–30 minutes until soft, then drain.
- Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat and add the garlic, ginger and Sichuan peppercorns. Fry until fragrant.
- Add the soy sauce, black vinegar and chili oil and stir.
- Pour in the stock and bring to a boil.
- Add the soaked noodles to the boiling broth and cook for 2–3 minutes until soft and heated through.
- Taste and add salt if needed.
- Serve hot, topped with chopped cilantro and roasted peanuts or fried soybeans.
Notes
If using fried soybeans: soak dried soybeans overnight to soften them. Drain and pat dry, then fry in a little oil over medium heat until golden brown and crunchy.
Sweet potato noodles are sold at Asian grocery stores as "sweet potato noodles," "sweet potato starch noodles" or, in Korean shops, as dangmyeon.