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Vegetable tsuivan

Mongolian hand-cut noodles steamed over mushrooms, tofu, carrot and cabbage

Tsuivan is one of the most-cooked dinners in Mongolia, from Ulaanbaatar apartments to gers on the steppe: homemade noodles laid over a stir-fry and steamed under a lid until they soak up all the juices, then tossed together. It's normally made with mutton; meaty mushrooms and firm tofu stand in here, with carrot, cabbage and onion. Simple and filling, it's often eaten with a pot of salty milk tea. Chef's tip: lay the noodles on top and don't stir until the end; they cook in the steam, not in the liquid.
Total time
65 min
Difficulty
medium
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

For the noodles

For the vegetables

Method

0/6 done
  1. Step 1: Mix 10 ½ oz plain flour and ½ tsp salt, add ¾ cup water and knead for 5–6 minutes into a firm, smooth dough. Rest, covered, for 20 minutes.

    6 min
  2. Step 2: Roll the dough into a thin round about 2 mm thick. Brush with 1 tbsp vegetable oil, then cook it briefly on a dry pan over a medium heat for 1 minute per side until it firms with pale spots; it should stay bendy. Roll up and slice into 5 mm noodles. Common mistake: cutting before part-cooking; raw noodles stick in one clump during steaming.

    5 min
  3. Step 3: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan or wok with a lid over a medium-high heat. Fry 7 oz firm tofu for 4 minutes until golden. Add 9 oz chestnut or oyster mushrooms and fry 4 minutes until browned.

    8 min
  4. Step 4: Add 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 carrots, 9 oz white cabbage and 1 red sweet pepper and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Season with 2 tbsp soy sauce, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper.

    3 min
  5. Step 5: Pour in ¾ cup vegetable stock, spread the noodles evenly over the top, cover and cook over a medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes until the noodles are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

    10 min
  6. Step 6: Uncover and toss everything together over the heat for 1–2 minutes until the noodles turn glossy and pick up colour. Serve hot.

    2 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
480 kcal
Protein
20 g
Carbs
70 g
Fat
13 g
Fibre
7 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does vegetable tsuivan take?
About 65 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 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 chestnut or oyster mushrooms?
Aubergine, diced, same weight.

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