Went to a new Shanghai restaurant in town. Order the shanghai fried noodles. It’s expensive. I know there are many recipes website to browse.

I refused to pay for expensive meal, so I got my mind cracking trying to figure out what’s sauce it’s has and the taste. I wanted it to be my own creation, experimenting as human always do in anything may it be technology, education or politics and food in my case.

Before telephones, email and mobiles, telegram was usually the fastest means of communication. We keep wanting instant solution, quick fix, profits and fame; hence some things cannot be identical, they can only be accepted. I trust my noodles is acceptable in your eyes. Picture can misguide your taste buds.

In a sense, food comes from various countries, shared, explored, experimented and so too are created. Everyone has culinary skills, taste buds that differentiate according to their upbringings, cultures, countries food lifestyles.

Two weeks trying to get the taste and method, I finally got the ingredients right. Happy with my creation and experimenting so I am ready to publish my Shanghainese fried noodles: trial and error creation – adding more of this or that to make it balance.

My family love them in light brown colour rather than in the restaurant we ate darker brown. You may add more dark soy if you want it darker. Remember, everyone taste buds is different.

The main feature Japanese udon noodles thinly strips pork, Chinese cabbage, garlic, ginger, thinly sliced black fungus and carrots for added colour.

My sauce is light brown, sweet and sour to balance the full flavour from marinated pork and stir fry with other ingredients as in my picture and that will make you drool!!!!!!

Ingredients

Marinate pork

500 g lean pork sliced into ¼” strips
1 1/2 Tsp cornflour
2 1/2 Tsp light soy sauce
2 1/2 Tsp dark soy sauce
4 Tsp Shao Xing Chinese wine
1 1/2 Tsp  sugar
1 Tbs oyster sauce

Noodles and vegetables

4 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 small packet dried thinly sliced fungus, soak to soften
1 1/2 pkt Japanese Udon noodles
31/2 Tsp dark soy sauce
3 1/2 Tsp soy sauce
1 Tbs matured black vinegar, extra for individual taste
1 1/2 Tsp sugar
1 Tbs garlic minced
1/2 Tbs ginger minced
1/2 head Chinese cabbage ,thinly sliced
2-3 small carrot, thinly sliced
Salt
Pepper

Method

Mix pork and marinade ingredients and set aside for 30 minutes. Meantime prepares other ingredients.

Heat a Tbs oil in a wok over high heat. Add pork stir fry until browned. Turn down heat, remove the pork from the wok and set aside. Add 2 Tbs oil to the wok and fry garlic and ginger for about 30 seconds using medium heat.

Next add 1 Tbs oil, fry carrots, cabbages, fungus, cook until soften for about 5 minutes. Then break up Udon gently with hands and add them to the wok.

Now add both soy sauces, vinegar and sugar. Stir together until the noodles get an even, brown colour. I prefer my noodles light brown colour. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with cut red chilli if you are chilli eaters!!!!!

Note: If you cannot find Japanese Udon, substitute with yellow noodles. You may add green leafy vegetables such as bok choy or choy sum. If you’re not seeing the colour you want, add a little more of dark soy sauce.

You may add a few more drops vinegar right before eating; totally up to you. Or fried shallots and garlic. To make it vegetarian meal, omit pork and put in more vegetables and mushrooms of your choice.

https://helenscchin.com/2019/09/30/shanghainese-fried-noodles/

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