At Chinese New Year, birthdays or weddings, longevity noodles are often served to symbolize prosperity and long life. This easy stir fried version is vegan- and gluten-free!

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add noodles, following package directions until just short of doneness. Drain and set aside.

Ingredients

Long noodles have long been associated with longevity and celebrations of Chinese New Year, birthdays and anniversaries alike. Our version of longevity noodles features fresh snow peas, water chestnuts and bean sprouts for crunchiness while ginger adds heat and umami flavour. With mushrooms (representing longevity) and scallions as added extras – perfect for Lunar New Year feasts or any dinner!

Fresh Chinese lo mein noodles can usually be found in the refrigerator section of most grocery stores. If these cannot be found, use dried Chinese noodles or pasta instead; just remember to add more liquid when using these.

Recipe card contains exact ingredient measurements; but to prepare the noodles, bring a medium saucepan of water to boil on high heat and cook the noodles until just under al dente, which typically takes 3 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until cool before shaking well to rid yourself of any extra moisture. Reheat before returning back into pot along with sesame oil for tossing!

Whisk the soy sauce, sesame oil, doubanjiang and rice vinegar together in a small bowl until fully mixed and set aside.

Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large frying pan until shimmering before adding chicken and pepper flakes, and stir-frying constantly for 2 minutes or so until chicken is just done – remove to a bowl and set aside.

Swirl one tablespoon of peanut oil in the wok and add ginger. Continue stirring constantly, until the ginger becomes fragrant and begins to turn golden-brown – approximately 10 seconds. Stir-fry cabbage and mushrooms until just wilted but not yet fully cooked before transferring them all to the bowl with chicken.

Reheat your wok, swirl in one tablespoon of peanut oil, and add noodles. Stir-fry for 30 seconds while constantly tossing and moving them to ensure even heating of all sides of the noodles. After this period is up, stir in sauce, chicken-vegetable mixture, scallions, pepper flakes, and season with additional salt as desired.

Preparation

Longevity Noodles are often served during Chinese New Year and other special events, like birthdays and anniversaries. To symbolize longevity, never cut or break your noodles as doing so would mean shortening one’s own lifespan. Boil then stir fry. This recipe comes from F&W chef Eileen Yin-Fei Lo’s Longevity Noodles published in 1999 which later received recognition as an F&W Classic (Lo passed away November of that year). Shiitake mushrooms and scallions add color while snow peas and bean sprouts provide crunch while garlic and ginger add a spicy punch. Vegan and easily made gluten-free by simply swapping out different gf noodles

Start by bringing 2 quarts of water to a boil over high heat in a large saucepan, adding salt before you stir in your yi mein noodles. Return to boiling, and cook according to package directions until just under al dente, drain through a colander, rinse several times with cold water while shaking out excess moisture, drain once more, toss with one tablespoon of sesame oil, and set aside.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of grapeseed oil in a wok until shimmering. Add red pepper strips and saute for 1 minute. Immediately after, add chicken pieces and stir-fry for 3 more minutes or so, until cooked through and beginning to turn golden-brown in color. Transfer cooked chicken pieces to a bowl.

Add one teaspoon of rice wine vinegar, cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the chicken in the bowl and combine and coat evenly. Toss to ensure uniform coverage.

Add snow peas and water chestnuts to a wok, then swirl in peanut oil for 1 minute before stirring-frying them together until bright green in color – about 1 minute. Now add mushroom mixture, saute for another three minutes, until tender before adding remaining sauce and tossing with noodles and serving immediately with slices of spring onion on top – or make ahead for lunchtime meals since noodles hold their shape well in the refrigerator! This dish can either be enjoyed immediately, or stored away to make another day meal later on!

Cooking

Longevity noodles are a classic Chinese dish enjoyed during Lunar New Year and other special events, like birthdays. The noodles represent luck, prosperity and (as their name suggests) long life! Crafted using lo mein-style egg noodles that provide satisfying chew and umami from soy sauce, sesame oil and peanut oil combinations; along with ingredients that offer health benefits and flavor like Shiitake mushrooms that boost immune functions or fresh ginger or scallions to give this stir fry recipe its signature flair.

This delicious and quick dish will soon become one of your favorites! Serve it as either the main or side course at your next dinner party and also great as lunch if using gluten-free noodles like angel hair or rice pasta; alternatively it tastes wonderful with chicken instead of mushrooms!

Cook the noodles according to package directions, rinsing in cold water periodically during their preparation to prevent sticking together. Drain and rinse multiple times until completely dry before setting aside.

Add the chicken, one teaspoon of rice wine, cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a bowl and toss to coat. Heat your wok over high heat and add one tablespoon of peanut oil when shimmering and fragrant; once this step has completed, add red pepper flakes followed by chicken strips and sear until golden brown – this should take between one to two minutes before transferring them to a bowl for storage.

Add the cabbage, scallions and mushrooms to a wok and stir-fry for one minute until all ingredients have become tender and cooked through, stirring often. Next add one teaspoon each of rice wine and soy sauce as well as the cooked noodles; mix to coat well and then heat through by continuously stirring continuously for 30 seconds or so before tasting for seasoning as needed with additional soy sauce if necessary before placing onto a platter and topping off with sesame seeds for presentation before serving.

These longevity noodles are an incredible way to celebrate Chinese New Year, birthdays or any special event! Packed full of the goodness of ginger, mushrooms and cabbage for a healthy yet hearty meal that tastes even better when finished off with some crunchy sesame seeds for an added crunchy crunch – and represent Chinese New Year symbolism by symbolizing long life!

Serving

Longevity noodles, an umami-rich dish typically enjoyed during Chinese New Year and other special events, is often prepared quickly. Their long and unbroken strands symbolize long life with health and prosperity; mushrooms (another symbol of health and longevity) add texture while fresh ginger adds an additional bite of umami flavor and umami flavor to this simple, quick-cooking stir fry recipe.

This recipe is extremely flexible: serve it as an individual one-pan meal by adding protein or use it as part of a multi-course Chinese New Year feast. Vegan oyster sauce works just as well for this dish as its regular version! For best results, use fresh thick Shanghai noodles; however if unavailable use high quality extra-thick udon instead.

Add the shiitake mushrooms to a medium-sized bowl and cover with warm water; allow to rehydrate for 15-20 minutes before draining and thinly slicing. Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil over high heat until shimmering before adding onion, garlic, and ginger and cooking until fragrant and softened, about 30 seconds.

Combine mushroom soaking water, soy sauce, sugar and pepper together and set aside. In a 2-quart pot over high heat, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil, add noodles, return to a boil for the required cooking time according to package directions, drain in colander then rinse under cold running water several times until no excess liquid remains; return back into unwashed pot, drizzle on sesame oil and toss to combine before returning it back into original state for use again.

Combine chicken with 1 teaspoon each of rice wine vinegar, cornstarch and soy sauce; toss together and let marinade while you prepare the rest of the dish. Heat remaining oil over high heat in a wok or large skillet until shimmering; add ginger, garlic and chicken and stir fry for five minutes or so until almost done cooking.

Mix together noodles, marinade, cabbage, snow peas, and green parts of chive; cook for 1-2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and noodles are hot. Sprinkle doubanjiang and furikake as desired before transferring to serving plates and garnishing with scallions (optional) and cilantro (if desired) immediately prior to serving.