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Suan la fen
Suān là fěn (酸辣粉): slippery sweet-potato noodles in a hot and sour broth with crunchy peanuts
Chongqing's hot and sour noodles are made from sweet potato starch, so they are chewy, bouncy and almost clear. They come in a broth that is sharp with black vinegar and red with chilli, topped with fried peanuts or soybeans and a spoonful of pickled greens. Students live on it, and it's a favourite late-night snack across the south-west. Plan for the 30-minute soak for the dried noodles. Chef's tip: add the vinegar to the bowl, not the pan; boiled vinegar loses the sharp edge that makes this dish.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the noodles
For the bowls
Toppings
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 1 ¾ oz raw peanuts and 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a cold frying pan and set over a medium-low heat. Stir often for 6–8 minutes, until the peanuts crackle and turn golden. Tip onto a plate; they crisp as they cool.
8 minStep 2: Divide 3 tbsp chilli oil, 3 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar, 1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce, 3 cloves garlic, ½ tsp ground Sichuan pepper, ½ tsp sugar and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil between two large bowls.
Step 3: Bring 2 ½ cups vegetable stock to the boil. Ladle about 250 ml into each bowl and stir to mix the seasoning.
Step 4: Drain the soaked 5 ½ oz dried sweet potato glass noodles and drop them into boiling water with 3 ½ oz beansprouts for 2–3 minutes, until the noodles are clear all the way through and soft but springy. Common mistake: boiling longer, which turns them sticky and makes them clump together.
3 minStep 5: Lift the noodles and sprouts into the bowls. Top with 3 tbsp pickled mustard greens or zha cai, the fried peanuts, 1 small bunch fresh coriander and 1 spring onion, and eat while the broth is steaming.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does suan la fen take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 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.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of vegetable stock?
- Chicken stock, same amount (not vegetarian).
- What can I use instead of chinkiang black vinegar?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
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