Chinese New Year Dish : Longevity Noodles 长寿面

Chinese New Year Dish : Longevity Noodles 长寿面

Recipe source :  Adapted from cookbook : Regional Chinese Cooking

For some Chinese communities, noodle is a must for the reunion dinner during the Chinese New Year. Do not cut them short just for purpose of easy handling. Cutting them short is a no-no during Chinese New Year. The noodles must be in long strands, the longer the better.

This is because the Chinese believes that the long strands of the noodles symbolise good health and long life. Therefore, it is very auspicious to have a noodle dish, especially longevity noodles for the Chinese New Year reunion dinner. Longevity noodle eaten on the eve of the Chinese New Year is believed to usher in a full year of good health, good tidings and long life!

Ingredients

250g dried egg noodles
100g pork, sliced and marinate with a little cornflour and soy sauce
1 large squid, cut into pieces or rings
6 large prawns, ( 150g ), remove shell but keep tails intact
4 dried mushrooms, soaked and cut into slices
50g carrots, cut into rings to resemble gold coins
5 - 6 pieces baby abalone ( canned ones )
120g mustard green, ( choy sum ) cut into sections
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
3 slices ginger
3 tbsp cooking oil

 Dried egg noodles, longevity noodles

 Mushrooms, sliced thinly

 Squid, cut into pieces

 Prawns, remove shells but keep the tails intact

 Pork slices, marinate with a bit of cornflour and a dash of soy sauce

Carrots, cut into rings to resemble gold coins

Mustard greens, cut into sections

Canned baby abalone

Seasonings

1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp dark soya sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
1 1/2 cups water

Mix all the seasoning ingredients together until the sugar and sauces are dissolved. Set aside.

Method

1.  Bring half a pot of water to the boil. When it is boiling, add in the dried egg noodles and allow to boil until soft. Refer to package instructions for the time taken to soften them. ( For mine, I boiled about 9 minutes because I like the noodles very soft )
2. Pour the boiled noodles into a colander and allow running water to rinse them. Drain and set aside. 
3.  Boil another pot of water to blanch the squids for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
4.  Heat a wok and add 3 tbsp cooking oil to it. Saute chopped garlic and ginger slices until fragrant.
5.  Add in mushrooms, pork slices, prawns, carrots, mustard green and squids. Stir-fry all the ingredients and mix them well together. 
6.  Add in the seasoning ingredients and the water solution. Allow to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Scoop up all the ingredients, leaving only the sauce in the wok.
7.  Add in the boiled noodles into the sauce in the wok. Use a pair of chopsticks to toss the noodles to ensure the sauce coats every strand of noodle. Toss until almost dry.
8.  Remove the noodles and transfer to serving dish. Top up the noodles with all the ingredients. 
9.  Serve hot.

I am linking this post to My Treasured Recipes #5 - Chinese New Year Goodies Jan/Feb 2015

Hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well In Flanders 

and co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House

I am linking this post to Cook-Your-Book #20

Hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours

I am linking this post to Little Thumbs Up

The theme for January 2015 is Noodles and Pasta 
Hosted by  My Bare Cupboard

This event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids 
and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY