Caregiver Noodles
Serves 1 person; easily scaled upward
preparation time (assumes ingredients are not frozen) 20 minutes, tops
Please see notes, bottom, for discussion of alternative proteins, vegetables, and preparing Udon noodles.
1 link Chinese-style sausage, sliced into coins
1 fresh or pickled garlic clove, peeled and minced (see below for pickled garlic clove recipe)
1 scallion, peeled and minced
1 small piece of ginger, unpeeled, smashed, and minced
about 1 ounce rice cakes or sticks
about 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
about 2 tablespoons Nam Pla or soy sauce (not both!)
a bit of fresh hot pepper, optional
handful of vegetables, washed and sliced; I used radishes and bok choy here
4 ounces unsalted chicken broth
1 six ounce package Udon noodles
Peanut, sunflower, or canola oil for the pan
A 12-inch wok is ideal for this recipe. If you don’t have a wok, use the largest, deepest frying pan you’ve got.
If using a wok, set it on high flame. Add the oil. Turn the heat down a little and add the Chinese sausage, taking care to avoid spattering oil. Stir the sausage; watching carefully, as it likes to burn. Add the garlic, scallion, and ginger, stirring, for 30 seconds.
Add rice cakes or sticks, rice wine, nam pla or soy, and stir. The sausage should let down some fat, but if you need additional liquid, add more wine. The rice cakes like to stick a little. You can also add a bit of water if needed.
Add the hot pepper, if using, and whatever vegetables you are using. Stir fry, about 1 minute.
Add the broth and noodles, stirring, taking care to avoid anything sticking. Cook over high heat, about two minutes. Make sure the sausage and rice cakes are cooked through.
Dump everything into a bowl. Devour with no thought of sharing.
Notes: You can use just about any protein or vegetable that suits your fancy, including topping this with an egg. Add harder vegetables earlier in the cooking.
About preparing Udon noodles: conventional preparation calls for adding Udon noodles to boiling water, and this is the correct way to cook them. My shortcut, above, is unconventional and inauthentic, but it’s fast.
Variations are endless: All manner of Asian hot sauces can be used–Sriracha, dried hot peppers, sambal oelek, Gochujuang, whatever you like. Don’t forget sesame oil or quality soy sauces, either.
The recipe for pickled garlic cloves comes from Carolyn Phillips, and appears in her book, All Under Heaven, an absolute must, must have for any Chinese food lover.