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Shanxi cat's ear noodles
Māo ěrduo (猫耳朵): tiny thumb-pressed pasta curls stir-fried with tomato, mushrooms and peppers
Shanxi has more pasta shapes than almost anywhere in China, and these are among the easiest to make by hand: small pieces of dough pressed and rolled with the thumb so they curl up like a cat's ear. Families in Taiyuan and Pingyao boil them and then stir-fry them with vegetables, or serve them in broth. The cupped shape catches the sauce. Children enjoy shaping them. Chef's tip: dust the board lightly with flour; too much and the dough slides instead of curling.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
For the pasta
For the stir-fry
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz plain flour and ¼ tsp salt with ½ cup water and knead for 5 minutes to a smooth, firm dough. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 2: Roll the dough into ropes about 1 cm thick and cut into 1 cm pieces. Press each piece onto a lightly floured board with your thumb and push forward, so the dough curls round into a little shell. Common mistake: dough that is too soft or a board that is too floury, both of which stop the curl.
Step 3: Boil the pasta in salted water for 3–4 minutes after it floats, until no white core shows when you bite one. Drain and toss with a few drops of oil.
5 minStep 4: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over a high heat. Stir-fry 2 cloves garlic for 20 seconds, then 5 ½ oz mushrooms for 2 minutes until browned, then ½ courgette and 1 green pepper for 1 minute.
3 minStep 5: Add 2 tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, until it softens into a light sauce. Add the pasta, 1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce, ¼ tsp salt and ½ tsp chilli flakes and toss for 2 minutes until coated and hot.
4 minStep 6: Splash 1 tbsp Shanxi aged vinegar or Chinkiang black vinegar round the edge of the wok, toss once more and serve.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 74 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does shanxi cat's ear noodles take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 35 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 plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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