Chinese•quick

Suan La Fen (Hot and sour noodle soup/酸辣粉)

Slippery noodles served in an intensely flavored broth, Sichuan hot and sour noodle soup is utterly irresistible. It's simple and quick to prepare.

Ingredients

Quantities are shown as originally provided.

7 oz sweet potato glass noodles (or mung bean vermicelli (aka bean thread noodles))
2 cup unsalted stock (vegetable or chicken)
2 tablespoon black rice vinegar (i.e. Zhenjiang/Chinkiang vinegar)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoon Chinese chili oil (or to taste)
¼ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper
2 clove garlic (minced)
Salt (to taste)
2 tablespoon fried soybeans (see note) (or roasted peanuts)
2 tablespoon preserved Sichuan pickle (aka Zha Cai/榨菜, chopped)
Scallions (or garlic sprouts)
Coriander (optional)

1
Prepare the noodles
2
Soak glass noodles in warm water for about half an hour until pliable.
3
Bring a pot of water to a full boil. Add the noodles and boil them until they become translucent and are just cooked through. The process is quick, so remain vigilant to prevent overcooking. Taste the noodles if you’re unsure of their doneness.
4
Prepare the soup
5
While waiting for the noodles to cook, heat the stock until simmering. Pour it into two serving bowls.
6
Add black rice vinegar, light soy sauce, Chinese chili oil, Sichuan pepper, and minced garlic (remember, the quantities in the ingredient list are for two bowls). Stir well, then taste. Add a little salt if necessary.
7
Assemble the dish
8
Put drained noodles into the bowls. Top with fried soybeans and preserved Sichuan pickle. Garnish with scallions and coriander if using.