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Shanghai scallion oil noodles
Thin noodles tossed in deeply fried spring onion oil and sweet soy
Cong you ban mian is a Shanghai breakfast and late-night favourite: thin wheat noodles tossed in oil that has been slowly infused with spring onions until they turn dark and crisp, plus a sweet soy sauce. It's almost nothing, and yet the caramelised onion flavour is addictive. Locals have it with a bowl of soup or a fried egg. Chef's tip: fry the spring onions over a medium-low heat for the full 12 minutes, until deep brown but not black; pale onions give oil with no character.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
Main
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 8 spring onions and 6 tbsp vegetable oil in a cold wok or frying pan and set over a medium-low heat. Let them sizzle gently for 10–12 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until shrunken, dark brown and crisp. Common mistake: turning the heat up to speed it up; the outsides burn while the insides stay watery.
12 minStep 2: Lift out the crisp onions. Add 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce and 1 ½ tbsp sugar to the hot oil; it will bubble up. Stir over a low heat for 1 minute until the sugar dissolves and it looks glossy. Take off the heat.
1 minStep 3: Cook 7 oz thin dried wheat noodles until just tender and drain well, keeping a splash of water.
4 minStep 4: Toss the noodles with 3–4 tbsp of the scallion oil and a spoon of noodle water until every strand is shiny and brown. Top with the crisp onions and eat at once. Leftover oil keeps in a jar in the fridge for a week.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 72 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does shanghai scallion oil noodles take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
- What can I use instead of light soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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