Mi sao
Mi sao: Malagasy-Chinese stir-fried wheat noodles with cabbage, carrot and green beans
Chinese families who settled in Toamasina and Antananarivo a century ago brought mi sao with them, and it is now one of the most ordered plates at any hotely, often eaten at lunch with a bowl of clear soup on the side. This version is all vegetables: shredded cabbage, carrot, green beans and spring onion tossed with springy wheat noodles, garlic, ginger and soy sauce until glossy and a little smoky. Because of the soy sauce and wheat noodles it is not gluten free. Overcrowding the pan is the usual mistake; it steams everything into a limp tangle, so cook in two batches if your wok or pan is small. Chef's tip: rinse the boiled noodles in cold water and toss them with a few drops of oil, so they fry into separate strands instead of a sticky clump.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 9 oz dried wheat noodlesegg-free (check the packet)
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 onionthinly sliced
- 3 garlic clovesfinely chopped
- ½ oz fresh gingercut into fine matchsticks
- 1 carrotcut into matchsticks
- 3 ½ oz green beanssliced on the diagonal
- 7 oz white cabbagefinely shredded
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 3 spring onionscut into 3 cm lengths
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Cook 9 oz dried wheat noodles in a large pan of boiling water for 1 minute less than the packet says, until just tender with a little bite.
4 minStep 2: Drain, rinse under cold water, shake dry and toss with 1 teaspoon of ⅓ tbsp sunflower oil so the strands stay separate.
Step 3: Heat the rest of 2 ⅔ tbsp sunflower oil in a wok or large frying pan over a high heat until it shimmers. Stir-fry 1 onion until it softens and catches at the edges.
2 minStep 4: Add 3 garlic cloves and ½ oz fresh ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Step 5: Add 1 carrot and 3 ½ oz green beans and stir-fry until bright and just tender-crisp.
3 minStep 6: Add 7 oz white cabbage and keep tossing until it wilts but still has some crunch.
2 minStep 7: Add the noodles, 3 tbsp light soy sauce and ½ tsp ground white or black pepper and toss hard over a high heat until the noodles are hot, glossy and lightly browned in places.
3 minStep 8: Toss in 3 spring onions for the last 30 seconds and serve at once, with sakay on the side.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 72 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mi sao take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 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 onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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