A popular dish served in various ways throughout the country, this is a simplified version of a sticky noodle dish I enjoyed at Shan restaurants throughout Myanmar. Typically it is not vegetarian, but is easy to prepare without traditional meat ingredients and fish sauce.
This bowl of Shan noodle salad comes together quickly, so it's an easy vegan recipe to throw together on week nights or even for your lunch box. So you can slurp loudly while flinging oily noodles all over your work desk and yourself. Everyone will love you.
Vegetarian Shan Noodle Salad
Shan noodles are made from sticky rice, a texture that encourages gravy to cling to the noodles, but I have yet to find a suitable rice based alternative at home. Dried rice noodles will work fine, but I prefer to use wheat noodles that include tapioca starch in the ingredients. Of all the optional condiments, I highly recommend consuming this bowl with pickled mustard greens, ensuring you use the unsweetened variety available in many East Asian markets. If you cannot find salted soy beans, use a medium dark miso paste.
- A large handful unsalted starchy noodles (about 100 grams dried noodles)
- 45 millilitres (3 tablespoons) oil
- Large pinch turmeric
- 70 grams (heaped ½ cup) thinly sliced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salted soy beans, mashed to a paste
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 5 millilitres (1 teaspoon) soy sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon five spice powder
- Generous pinch pepper
- Generous pinch sugar
- Large handful uncooked spinach leaves
- Sliced pickled mustard greens
- Chili, garlic and/or shallot oils
- Fresh coriander
- Fried onions
- Fried garlic
- Cook the noodles per packet instructions and leave the cooked noodles to cool in a large soup or noodle bowl.
- Heat a wok to medium heat. Add oil and turmeric and fry onion in oil until until they begin to brown, about 10-12 minutes, stirring often to ensure even browning. Add the garlic and fry for a minute before tipping the mashed salted soy beans, tomato paste, five spice, pepper, sugar, and 180 millilitres (¾ cup) water into the wok and stirring through.
- Turn the heat to medium-low and add the spinach leaves until just wilted. Once the spinach is cooked, pour the gravy over the noodles and serve with any additional desired toppings.
- Author: Kip Dorrell
- Servings: 1
- Cuisine: Burmese