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The Ultimate Guide to Soup Noodles and Noodle Toppings

Soup Noodles

Tang Mian (汤面)

Fresh noodles, a hearty broth, and savory toppings are the essentials to making the incredible soup noodles found throughout Sichuan Province.

Soup Noodle Dishes

Soup Noodles may seem complex at first and the hours of preparation may seem intimidating. However, there are actually only 5 key components to most Soup Noodle Dishes, here listed in the order added to the bowl: Flavor Base, Noodles, Vegetables, Stock, and Toppings. The following guide will break-down every component and help you make your best bowl of Soup Noodles.

The Flavor Base is as simple as it sounds. It’s just a mixture of Sauces and Seasonings provided to flavor the soup. For those familiar with Japanese ramen, the Flavor Base is equivalent to a Tare and is even easier to make. The basic goal is to customize the flavor the soup to your liking. The Flavor Base will always be packed with salty and umami flavors, but it can also include sizzling, fragrant, spicy, and sour elements. Because of a growing demand for customization, some noodle restaurants will not add a Flavor Base at all but will instead provide all the common ingredients as condiments to be added atop the Noodles and Stock.

Most* of the following Soup Noodle recipes will contain a Flavor Base. If not already listed in the recipe, the following are common Flavor Base ingredients that can be used to customize Soup Noodles:

*Sizzling Spicy Beef Noodle Dishes usually won’t have any toppings other than Cilantro and don’t need a flavor base. Flavor Base and Noodle Toppings are generally for Soup Noodles with Advanced Stock. However, not all noodle restaurants will offer Toppings even for Soup Noodles with Advanced Stock. They will, nonetheless, have Chinkiang Black Vinegar and Chili Oil at every table as these are considered essential condiments.

Sichuan Soup Noodle Dishes specialize in Alkaline Noodles – the most common variety being Gua Mian (挂面), sometimes referred to as Chinese Somen. Gua Mian can have a range of widths and can be either flat or round. In Sichuan, however, the Noodles are usually quite narrow and round, especially in southern cities like Yibin which use Thin Noodles (细面). Chinese Ramen Noodles (拉面) are also a viable option, but avoid Egg Noodles (蛋面) when maintaining authenticity as these are not prevalent. Another type of Alkaline Noodle common to Sichuan is Knife-Cut Noodles (刀削面). These Noodles are traditionally made by slicing strips of Noodles off a block of dough into an awaiting pot of boiling water. Seem intimidating? Not to worry. For the average home cook, there are pre-cut Knife-Cut Noodles readily available from most Asian grocery stores.

Leafy Green Vegetables are integral to Soup Noodles. Often, Noodle Restaurants will have one type of Leafy Green that’s served with every bowl of Noodles. These Greens are usually blanched along with the Noodles or immediately afterwards. While each Noodle Restaurant usually only has one or two types of Leafy Green Vegetables available, there are dozens of popular Greens owing to the sheer number and diversity of noodle restaurants in Sichuan. Common Leafy Green Vegetables include Water Spinach (空心菜), Spinach, Bok Choy, Chinese Lettuce (油麦菜), and Baby Napa Cabbage (娃娃菜). All of these Leafy Green Vegetables are fully interchangeable with any of the following Soup Noodle recipes.

Soup Noodles distinguish themselves from Dry Noodles and Fried Noodles thanks to their delicious, nutritious broths. These broths are usually made from Advance Stock (高汤) which is a Pork Bone Broth (骨头汤) flavored slightly with Chicken Stock (鸡汤) by simmering Pork and Chicken Bones together. Since Advance Stock requires hours of simmering, it’s best prepared in advanced. Large amounts of Stock can be made and frozen until ready for Noodles. Likewise, the Meat for Noodle Dishes often requires hours of slow-cooking. Thus, it can be prepared the day before. A little preparation and planning are all that’s needed for incredible Noodles.

Aside from Meat or Meat Sauce, Soup Noodles can be topped with various ingredients to enhance the overall Noodle enjoyment. While not all Noodle Restaurants offer Noodle Toppings, the following list includes an array one might see at a fully stocked table:


Crispy-Fried Edamame

Yousu Huangdou (油酥黄豆)

Ingredients

2 cups of Peanut Oil

1 cup of Edamame Beans (Immature Soy Beans)

Salt (Optional)

Directions

1.) Place the Edamame Beans in a large bowl and fill the bowl with water. Allow the Edamame to soak for about 12 hours before frying them.

2.) After 12 hours, pour the Beans into a wire strainer to remove the water. Shake off as much excess water as possible and allow the Beans to drip dry while heating the Oil.

3.) Add at least 2 cups of Peanut Oil to a seasoned wok and heat on medium-low heat until hot.

4.) Add the Edamame and fry them for about 12 – 20 minutes, lowering the heat if necessary. Cook the Edamame until all moisture has evaporated and the Edamame are super crispy but not burnt.

5.) Remove the Edamame with a wire strainer and spread them out on a sheet pan, optionally sprinkling them with a little Salt.

6.) Once cool, store the Edamame in an airtight jar and use them liberally as a Noodle Topping or eat them as a tasty snack.


Crispy-Fried Peanuts

Yousu Huasheng (油酥花生)

Ingredients

2 cups of Peanut Oil

1 cup of whole Peanuts (Preferably with Skin)

Salt (Optional)

Directions

1.) Add at least 2 cups of Peanut Oil to a seasoned wok and heat on medium-low heat until hot.

2.) Add the Peanuts and fry them for about 5 minutes, lowering the heat if necessary. Cook the Peanuts until all moisture has evaporated and the Peanuts are toasty and fragrant.

3.) Remove the Peanuts with a wire strainer and spread them out on a sheet pan, optionally sprinkling them with a little Salt.

4.) Once cool, store the Peanuts in an airtight jar and use them liberally as a Noodle Topping or eat them as a tasty snack.


Pan-Fried Eggs

Jian Jidan (煎鸡蛋)

Farm-fresh eggs are pan-fried in a wok until crispy, lacy edges form and then lightly seasoned with salt and white pepper – the simple eggs ready to top the perfect bowl of noodles.

Pan Fried Eggs

Pan-Fried Eggs are clearly the simplest Egg dish, and you may be thinking, how is this different from fried Eggs anywhere else in the world? While the results are similar to those of an American or English breakfast, Chinese Pan-Fried Eggs have several distinguishing features. The first and most notable is that these Eggs are ‘over-well,’ meaning the yolks are fully cooked. This is in stark contrast to many Asian and western fried Eggs with their ‘over-easy’ runny yolks. Since Pan-Fried Eggs are cooked in a seasoned wok with higher heat and more oil than western versions, their yolks are solid and their whites laced with crispy edges.

Although Pan-Fried Eggs can be served as is, they are usually an accompaniment to Rice and Noodle Dishes. Noodle Restaurants, therefore, are the key purveyor of Pan-Fried Eggs in China. While not every Noodle Restaurant offers such additions, those that do, generally have a large tables-worth of extra toppings ranging from Sichuan Pickles to Fermented Black Beans. Their Pan-Fried Eggs are generally served at room temperature, having been made hours in advance. Nevertheless, the hot soup from the Noodles reheats the Pan-Fried Eggs, bathing them in delicious flavors.

    Prep Time: 5 min  

    Cook Time: 5 min  

    Total Time: 10 min  

    Serving: 2 - 4 people  

Ingredients

Peanut Oil

3 – 4 Eggs

1 pinch of Salt (Optional)
1 pinch of Ground White Pepper (Optional)

Directions

1.) Heat a seasoned wok on medium-high heat until nearly smoking and add about 1/8 cup of Peanut Oil, using the back of a wok spoon to swirl the Oil around the inner sides of the wok.

2.) When the Oil is hot, crack one Egg and pour it into the center of the wok. The bottom of the Egg should set almost immediately, so gently swirl the Egg in the bottom of the wok as crispy edges form around the Egg white.

3.) Flip the Egg when the white near the yolk has set and swirl the Egg around the bottom of the wok for a few more seconds until fully cooked.

4.) Remove the Egg from the wok and set it on a plate. Optionally, immediately sprinkle the Egg with Salt and White Pepper.

5.) Repeat the cooking process with the remaining Eggs.


Tender Peas

Wandou Jiaotou (豌豆浇头)

Ingredients

500 grams of dried Peas

1 tsp. Salt

Aromatics and Seasonings
1 stalk of Small Scallion (小葱)
1 2-inch block of Ginger (Smashed)
1 Tbsp. Lard
1/2 tsp. MSG
1/2 tsp. Salt

4.5 cups of Water

Directions

1.) Pour the Peas into a large bowl, add 1 tsp. of Salt, and cover the Peas with water. Allow the Peas to rest for at least 12 hours.

2.) After 12 hours, drain the Peas and add them to a large pot along with all of the Aromatics and Seasonings (Scallion, Ginger, Lard, MSG, and Salt). Fill the Pot with 4.5 cups of Water, set it on the stove at high heat, and bring the Water to a boil.

3.) Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover with a lid, and cook the Peas for about 1 hour until the Peas are soft and mushy.

(If available, use a pressure cooker for this Topping to greatly reduce time. A pressure cooker can finish the Peas in about 8 minutes).


Tender Soybeans

Huangdou Jiaotou (黄豆浇头)

Ingredients

500 grams of dried Edamame Beans (黄豆; immature Yellow Soybeans)

1 tsp. Salt

Aromatics and Seasonings
1 stalk of Small Scallion (小葱)
1 2-inch block of Ginger (Smashed)
1 Tbsp. Lard
1/2 tsp. MSG
1/2 tsp. Salt

4.5 cups of Water

Directions

1.) Pour the Soybeans into a large bowl, add 1 tsp. of Salt, and cover the Beans with water. Allow the Edamame to rest for at least 12 hours.

2.) After 12 hours, drain the Beans and add them to a large pot along with all of the Aromatics and Seasonings (Scallion, Ginger, Lard, MSG, and Salt). Fill the Pot with 4.5 cups of Water, set it on the stove at high heat, and bring the Water to a boil.

3.) Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover with a lid, and cook the Soybeans for about 3 hours until the Beans are soft and mushy.

(The Beans can be cooked slightly less mushy if wanting to combine them with Red Braised Pork Belly. If available, use a pressure cooker for this Topping to greatly reduce time. A pressure cooker can finish the Tender Soybeans in about 12 minutes).

 

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