Chinese noodles and Korean shredded potatoes: J Kenji López-Alt’s wok recipes

The fantastic thing about wok-cooking lies in its versatility and pace. This pair of recipes begin with a calming noodle dish, originating in China’s Sichuan province, that may be ready virtually fully prematurely; its flavourful sauce is balanced between scorching, bitter and savoury, and the tingling citrus aroma of Sichuan peppercorns. It’s the proper dish for a picnic or occasion. The second is a Korean potato stir-fry that comes collectively in minutes. Shredding and washing the potatoes earlier than stir-frying offers them a uniquely crunchy, virtually cucumber-like texture that units them other than western-style rösti or hash browns.

Sichuan-​fashion chilly noodles (pictured prime)

Prep 10 min
Prepare dinner 5 min
Serves 4

For the noodles
Salt
450g contemporary wheat noodles
Peanut oil, or different impartial oil

For the dressing
2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
2 medium garlic cloves
, peeled and roughly chopped
2½cm thumb contemporary ginger, peeled
Salt
4
spring onions, thinly sliced
1 t
sp dried scorching chilli flakes(I like Sichuan er jing tiao or Korean gochugaru)
1 star anise

60 mlpeanut oil, or different impartial oil
3 t
bsp mild soy sauce, plus extra to style
2 t
bsp Chinkiang black rice vinegar, or rice vinegar, plus further to style
2 tsp sugar
Chil
li oil, for serving

Deliver a big pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles, stir with chopsticks to separate them, and prepare dinner in accordance with the packet directions till the noodles are simply cooked by means of and retain a springy chunk. Drain by means of a fine-​mesh strainer, chill with chilly working water, and toss with a few teaspoons of oil to forestall sticking. Put aside.

For the dressing, grind the Sichuan peppercorns to a powder in a mortar. Add the garlic, ginger and a pinch of salt and pound right into a paste. Add the spring onions (reserving some to serve), chillies and star anise, and stir with a fork or chopsticks to mix. Switch to a medium bowl.

Warmth the oil in a wok till smoking-​scorching, then pour straight on prime of the paste combination. Stir instantly with chopsticks or a fork. It ought to sizzle quickly and launch its aroma. Stir within the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and a tablespoon of water till dissolved.

When able to serve, take away and discard the star anise from the dressing. Mix the noodles and dressing in a serving bowl, toss to mix, and season with extra soy sauce and vinegar to style. Garnish with the reserved spring onions and serve instantly with chilli oil on the aspect.

Korean stir-​fried shredded potatoes

J Kenji López-Alt’s Korean stir-fried shredded potatoes.
J Kenji López-Alt’s Korean stir-fried shredded potatoes.

Prep 10 min
Prepare dinner 5 min
Serves 4 as a small aspect dish

1 massive white or Yukon Gold potato (about 225g)
2 t
bsp peanut oil, or different impartial oil
½ small yellow onion
(about 60g), thinly sliced
½ medium carrot
(about60g), peeled and minimize into positive matchsticks
2 t
sp toasted sesame oil
A sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds (non-compulsory)
Salt and black pepper

Peel the potato and minimize it into positive matchsticks. Rinse in a number of modifications of chilly water till the water is totally clear. Spin dry the potato in a salad spinner or blot dry with a clear kitchen towel.

Warmth a wok over a excessive warmth till calmly smoking. Add the oil, swirl to coat, then add the potatoes and stir-​fry for 2 to 3 minutes, till translucent and simply starting to show pale golden brown in spots.

Add the onions and carrots and stir-​fry for about 30 seconds, till each are calmly softened. Add the sesame oil and sesame seeds (if utilizing), season to style, then toss to mix, switch to a serving plate or bowl and serve.

  • Recipes extracted from The Wok: Recipes and Methods, by J. Kenji López-Alt, revealed by WW Norton at £36. To purchase one for £31.32, go to guardianbookshop.com

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