Recipe: Adam Liaw’s Biang Biang Noodles are Ready in a Flash

For almost 15 years, Adam Liaw has been making our kitchens more efficient, one cookbook at a time. But Liaw’s latest title, Asian Home Cooking, is an invitation to slow down and savour the continent’s diverse and exciting cuisines, with more than 200 everyday recipes inspired by his travels, research and lived experiences.

That’s not to say its recipes aren’t quick and budget-friendly. Liaw calls these fragrant noodles, which riff on a north-western Chinese staple, “a lifesaver for quick home cooking.”

“This same dish can also be found in simple handmade noodle shops in Shaanxi under the name biang biang noodles, an onomatopoeic reference to the sound made when hand-pulled noodles slap against the bench during the stretching process,” he writes.

By swapping fresh noodles for dry, and with nothing more than aromatics to prep and the oil to heat, the dish comes together even faster than his 10-minute chicken noodles – one of Broadsheet’s most popular recipes of all time.

“The hot oil releases the flavour of the sauces and aromatics for an absurdly simple dish that is ready in minutes.”

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Adam Liaw’s Chinese oiled noodles  

Serves 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes

Ingredients

20g dried flat, wide wheat noodles (‘hand-pulled’ or ‘knife-cut’ noodles work best)
1 small green bok choy (pak choy), quartered
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp Chinkiang black vinegar
¼ tsp Chinese chilli powder
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp finely sliced spring onion
Good pinch of salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp roughly chopped coriander 

Method

Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the noodles. Cook the noodles for about 6–7 minutes, or according to packet directions, until softened but still al dente. Drain well and add to a serving bowl. Boil the bok choy for just 30 seconds and add to the bowl.

Put the remaining ingredients (except the oil and coriander) directly on top of the noodles in the order listed.

Place the vegetable oil in a small saucepan and heat until smoking. Pour over the noodles, then add the coriander and mix well. Serve immediately.

This is an edited extract from Asian Home Cooking by Adam Liaw. Published by Hardie Grant (RRP $65).