BRENDAN PANG Author of This Is a Book About Dumplings THIS IS THIS IS A BOOKA BOOK ABOUTABOUT noodlesnoodles If you’ve been searching for flavorful recipes within the realm of Asian cuisine that hit all the right notes, look no further than This Is a Book About Noodles. Featuring 60+ noodle dishes, including recipes for incredible sauces and step-by-step guides for shaping a variety of homemade noodles from dough, this is a cookbook that will take you on a fantastic culinary journey. Inspired by his Grandmère, Brendan provides recipes for traditional noodle dishes he grew up on, including Long Life Noodles and Grandmère’s Chicken Vermicelli. And meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans alike will find something to love in his more modern recipes, such as the Spicy Chicken Tan Tan Ramen, Super-Speedy Garlic Noodles and the Peanut Rice Noodle Rolls. If you’re an up-and- coming foodie hoping for a challenge, Beijing Fried Sauce Noodles may be what you’re after. Or if you’re in desperate need of some comfort food, simply dive into Mum’s Crispy Pork Wontons, a family recipe guaranteed to satisfy. Whether you need a dish for a special occasion or a quiet night at home, the answer just might be noodles. BRENDAN PANG is the creator of the dumpling kitchen Bumplings and the author of This Is a Book About Dumplings. He has appeared on two seasons of MasterChef Australia and currently resides in Perth, Australia. DELICIOUS DISHES TO SATISFY YOUR SOUL 9 781645 675785 52399> ISBN 978-1-64567-578-5 $23.99 COOKING / Regional & Ethnic / Asian US $23.99 / CAN $30.99 “ I already have a little brother, but if I didn’t, I’d want Brendan to be him. His food is fun, approachable and as charming as he is. This new noodle tome is set to be a slurpable success, I just know it!” — MELISSA LEONG, host of MasterChef Australia, aka @fooderati “ This book will take you straight to the kitchen to start smacking noodles, tossing veggies in a scorching wok and brewing the most delectable broths .” — REECE HIGNELL, founder of CAKEBOI, author of CAKEBOI this is a bo o k a bout no odl e s BREND AN PANG16 This Is a Book About Noodles SHANGHAI-STYLE STICKY PORK BELLY NOODLES Sticky pork belly is usually a winner for most people—but look out, barbecued pork fans! In my humble opinion, this dish is a more refined version of char siu pork. The classic flavors of Shaoxing rice wine and soy build the foundation of this dish, as more fragrant elements are layered using a few different techniques. Sometimes called red-cooked pork ( hong shao rou), this is another beloved dish in China, and one of my favorites, too. But instead of the more traditional rice pairing, I’ve added a noodle variation, similar to one of the most popular dishes we offer at Bumplings—our Mauritian BBQ Pork Noodles. Before we dive into this, it’s important to understand that the secret to many Chinese-style pork dishes is to first blanch the pork briefly. This helps to impart some of that flavor, while cleaning the pork, too. SERVES 2 Sticky Pork Belly 12.5 oz (350 g) pork belly, skin on 3 tbsp (45 ml) Shaoxing rice wine 1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce 1½ tsp (7.5 ml) dark soy sauce 1 slice fresh ginger 1 star anise About 2 cups (475 ml) water, plus more if needed 4 to 5 shiitake mushrooms, halved 1 tbsp (21 g) rock sugar 10.5 oz (300 g) thick udon-style Hand-Cut Wheat Noodles (page 155) Sliced spring onion, for garnish Make the sticky pork belly: Chop the pork into ¾-inch (2-cm) pieces. Bring a small pot of water to a boil over high heat. Lower the pork pieces into the boiling water and cook for just 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pork, then drain and rinse it to remove all impurities. Rinse out the pot and discard the water. Place the pork back in the pot over medium heat, and add the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, ginger, star anise, plus enough fresh water to cover everything, about 2 cups (475 ml). Bring to a boil, then cover, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes. Add the shiitake mushrooms and let simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the pork is tender. If the liquid dries out along the way, add a little more water. Remove the lid and increase the heat to high. Add the rock sugar and let boil for a few minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and become sticky. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then cook the noodles for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and toss with your sticky pork belly. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with spring onion. Serve immediately.16 This Is a Book About Noodles SHANGHAI-STYLE STICKY PORK BELLY NOODLES Sticky pork belly is usually a winner for most people—but look out, barbecued pork fans! In my humble opinion, this dish is a more refined version of char siu pork. The classic flavors of Shaoxing rice wine and soy build the foundation of this dish, as more fragrant elements are layered using a few different techniques. Sometimes called red-cooked pork ( hong shao rou), this is another beloved dish in China, and one of my favorites, too. But instead of the more traditional rice pairing, I’ve added a noodle variation, similar to one of the most popular dishes we offer at Bumplings—our Mauritian BBQ Pork Noodles. Before we dive into this, it’s important to understand that the secret to many Chinese-style pork dishes is to first blanch the pork briefly. This helps to impart some of that flavor, while cleaning the pork, too. SERVES 2 Sticky Pork Belly 12.5 oz (350 g) pork belly, skin on 3 tbsp (45 ml) Shaoxing rice wine 1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce 1½ tsp (7.5 ml) dark soy sauce 1 slice fresh ginger 1 star anise About 2 cups (475 ml) water, plus more if needed 4 to 5 shiitake mushrooms, halved 1 tbsp (21 g) rock sugar 10.5 oz (300 g) thick udon-style Hand-Cut Wheat Noodles (page 155) Sliced spring onion, for garnish Make the sticky pork belly: Chop the pork into ¾-inch (2-cm) pieces. Bring a small pot of water to a boil over high heat. Lower the pork pieces into the boiling water and cook for just 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pork, then drain and rinse it to remove all impurities. Rinse out the pot and discard the water. Place the pork back in the pot over medium heat, and add the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, ginger, star anise, plus enough fresh water to cover everything, about 2 cups (475 ml). Bring to a boil, then cover, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes. Add the shiitake mushrooms and let simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the pork is tender. If the liquid dries out along the way, add a little more water. Remove the lid and increase the heat to high. Add the rock sugar and let boil for a few minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and become sticky. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then cook the noodles for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and toss with your sticky pork belly. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with spring onion. Serve immediately.Egg Noodles 39 CHICKEN KHAO SOI NOODLES This classic Thai dish is a standout and comes from northern Thailand, which is home to some of the spiciest foods with a rich complexity of flavors. Khao soi in and of itself isn’t super spicy on the Scoville scale, but the curried soup base is laden with some strong spices, including turmeric, cumin and coriander. One of the other things I love about a traditional khao soi is its doubling down on the noodles—some fried egg noodles sprinkled on top are a MUST to contrast with the soft egg noodles in the curried soup base. SERVES 4 Khao Soi Paste 2 Thai red chiles 2 medium-sized shallots, roughly chopped 4 cloves garlic 2 tbsp (12 g) diced fresh ginger 2 tbsp (12 g) diced fresh turmeric Small handful of fresh cilantro stems and root 2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander 1 tsp ground cardamom 1 tsp curry powder 2 tbsp (30 g) shrimp paste Soup 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil 1 lb (450 g) boneless chicken thighs 2 tbsp (15 g) red curry paste 4¼ cups (1 L) chicken stock 2 tsp (6 g) palm sugar 1 (13.5-oz [400-ml]) can coconut milk 3 tbsp (45 ml) Asian fish sauce Salt (optional) 14 oz (400 g) thin-cut Egg Noodles (page 157) Scant 2 oz (50 g) thin-cut Egg Noodles, deep-fried (page 157) 2 shallots, thinly sliced 2 limes, cut into wedges 3.5 oz (100 g) pickled mustard greens, chopped Fresh cilantro, for serving Mung bean sprouts, for serving Make the khao soi paste: In a food processor, combine all the paste ingredients and blitz until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside until required. Make the soup: In a wok over high heat, heat the vegetable oil. Once hot, add the chicken and stir-fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the khao soi paste to the wok and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the red curry paste, chicken stock and palm sugar, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and add the coconut milk and fish sauce. Add back the chicken and let simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt, if required. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles for about 3 minutes, or until just cooked through. Drain, then divide among four serving bowls. Ladle the hot khao soi soup and chicken over the cooked noodles. Top with the deep-fried noodles, sliced shallots, lime wedges, pickled mustard greens, cilantro and mung bean sprouts. Serve immediately. Egg Noodles 39 CHICKEN KHAO SOI NOODLES This classic Thai dish is a standout and comes from northern Thailand, which is home to some of the spiciest foods with a rich complexity of flavors. Khao soi in and of itself isn’t super spicy on the Scoville scale, but the curried soup base is laden with some strong spices, including turmeric, cumin and coriander. One of the other things I love about a traditional khao soi is its doubling down on the noodles—some fried egg noodles sprinkled on top are a MUST to contrast with the soft egg noodles in the curried soup base. SERVES 4 Khao Soi Paste 2 Thai red chiles 2 medium-sized shallots, roughly chopped 4 cloves garlic 2 tbsp (12 g) diced fresh ginger 2 tbsp (12 g) diced fresh turmeric Small handful of fresh cilantro stems and root 2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander 1 tsp ground cardamom 1 tsp curry powder 2 tbsp (30 g) shrimp paste Soup 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil 1 lb (450 g) boneless chicken thighs 2 tbsp (15 g) red curry paste 4¼ cups (1 L) chicken stock 2 tsp (6 g) palm sugar 1 (13.5-oz [400-ml]) can coconut milk 3 tbsp (45 ml) Asian fish sauce Salt (optional) 14 oz (400 g) thin-cut Egg Noodles (page 157) Scant 2 oz (50 g) thin-cut Egg Noodles, deep-fried (page 157) 2 shallots, thinly sliced 2 limes, cut into wedges 3.5 oz (100 g) pickled mustard greens, chopped Fresh cilantro, for serving Mung bean sprouts, for serving Make the khao soi paste: In a food processor, combine all the paste ingredients and blitz until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside until required. Make the soup: In a wok over high heat, heat the vegetable oil. Once hot, add the chicken and stir-fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the khao soi paste to the wok and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the red curry paste, chicken stock and palm sugar, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and add the coconut milk and fish sauce. Add back the chicken and let simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt, if required. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles for about 3 minutes, or until just cooked through. Drain, then divide among four serving bowls. Ladle the hot khao soi soup and chicken over the cooked noodles. Top with the deep-fried noodles, sliced shallots, lime wedges, pickled mustard greens, cilantro and mung bean sprouts. Serve immediately. Rice Noodles 55 SPICY PRAWN CHAR KWAY TEOW Char kway teow—sometimes comparable to pad see ew—are your classic thick-cut stir-fried rice noodles, and a staple at most Singaporean or Malaysian-style restaurants. Two of the most important elements for a good char kway teow: great sauce and a solid “char” flavor. The “char” relates to the smokiness of the dish, and here are a few pointers for how you can get that delicious edge into your kway teow that you’d taste from a street vendor: Once your rice noodles are good to go, cook them in the wok first for a good amount of time before you add the sauce and prawns. It might be more time consuming, but don’t crowd the wok; cook your noodles in batches. Next, a well-seasoned wok conducts heat quickly, but if you don’t have one, make sure your oil is smoking before you drop in the noodles. Finally, burning off a little bit of dark soy sauce and sweet soy sauce in the wok before you cook your noodles in it will do wonders for the “char.” SERVES 4 Spicy Sauce 1 tbsp + 2 tsp (25 ml) The OG Chili Sauce (page 148), plus more for serving 1 tbsp + 2 tsp (25 ml) dark soy sauce 4 tsp (20 ml) light soy sauce 2 tsp (10 ml) oyster sauce 4 tsp (20 ml) sweet soy sauce Vegetable oil, for wok 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 20 prawn tails, peeled 1 Chinese sausage, thinly sliced on the diagonal 2 large eggs, whisked 17.5 oz (500 g) Rice Noodle Sheets, freshly cooked (page 158) 2 cups (200 g) mung bean sprouts 1 bunch garlic chives, cut into 1” (2.5-cm) lengths Make the spicy sauce: In a small bowl, combine all the spicy sauce ingredients and set aside until required In a wok over high heat, heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of vegetable oil. When hot, add the garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the prawn tails and stir-fry until cooked, about 2 minutes. Remove from the wok and set aside. Add the Chinese sausage to the hot wok and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly crisp. Remove from the wok and set aside. Keeping the wok on high heat, add another tablespoon (15 ml) of oil. Add the whisked eggs and swirl around the wok to cover as much surface area as possible. After 2 minutes, flip the omelet and cook for another 2 minutes. Slide the omelet onto a chopping board and slice into ¾-inch (2-cm) shreds. To bring everything together, add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vegetable oil to the wok and add the cooked flat rice noodles. Toss for about 30 seconds. Add back the prawns, Chinese sausage and egg shreds. Now, add the mung bean sprouts, garlic chives and the spicy sauce. Toss gently to combine, before transferring to your serving dish. Serve with extra chili sauce as desired. Rice Noodles 55 SPICY PRAWN CHAR KWAY TEOW Char kway teow—sometimes comparable to pad see ew—are your classic thick-cut stir-fried rice noodles, and a staple at most Singaporean or Malaysian-style restaurants. Two of the most important elements for a good char kway teow: great sauce and a solid “char” flavor. The “char” relates to the smokiness of the dish, and here are a few pointers for how you can get that delicious edge into your kway teow that you’d taste from a street vendor: Once your rice noodles are good to go, cook them in the wok first for a good amount of time before you add the sauce and prawns. It might be more time consuming, but don’t crowd the wok; cook your noodles in batches. Next, a well-seasoned wok conducts heat quickly, but if you don’t have one, make sure your oil is smoking before you drop in the noodles. Finally, burning off a little bit of dark soy sauce and sweet soy sauce in the wok before you cook your noodles in it will do wonders for the “char.” SERVES 4 Spicy Sauce 1 tbsp + 2 tsp (25 ml) The OG Chili Sauce (page 148), plus more for serving 1 tbsp + 2 tsp (25 ml) dark soy sauce 4 tsp (20 ml) light soy sauce 2 tsp (10 ml) oyster sauce 4 tsp (20 ml) sweet soy sauce Vegetable oil, for wok 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 20 prawn tails, peeled 1 Chinese sausage, thinly sliced on the diagonal 2 large eggs, whisked 17.5 oz (500 g) Rice Noodle Sheets, freshly cooked (page 158) 2 cups (200 g) mung bean sprouts 1 bunch garlic chives, cut into 1” (2.5-cm) lengths Make the spicy sauce: In a small bowl, combine all the spicy sauce ingredients and set aside until required In a wok over high heat, heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of vegetable oil. When hot, add the garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the prawn tails and stir-fry until cooked, about 2 minutes. Remove from the wok and set aside. Add the Chinese sausage to the hot wok and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly crisp. Remove from the wok and set aside. Keeping the wok on high heat, add another tablespoon (15 ml) of oil. Add the whisked eggs and swirl around the wok to cover as much surface area as possible. After 2 minutes, flip the omelet and cook for another 2 minutes. Slide the omelet onto a chopping board and slice into ¾-inch (2-cm) shreds. To bring everything together, add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vegetable oil to the wok and add the cooked flat rice noodles. Toss for about 30 seconds. Add back the prawns, Chinese sausage and egg shreds. Now, add the mung bean sprouts, garlic chives and the spicy sauce. Toss gently to combine, before transferring to your serving dish. Serve with extra chili sauce as desired. Next >