serves
4
prep
20 minutes
cook
40 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
40
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 400 g fresh Shanghai-style wheat noodles (see Note)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp XO sauce
XO sauce
- ¼ cup dried prawns (see Note)
- ¼ cup dried scallops (see Note)
- 1 lap cheong (Chinese sausage) (see Note), finely chopped
- 45 g Jinhua ham (see Note), or prosciutto, finely chopped
- 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
- 50 g Asian red eschalots, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp very finely chopped long red chilli
- 1½ tbsp dried chilli flakes
- 185 ml (¾ cup) vegetable oil, plus extra, to store
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 3 tsp caster sugar
Standing time overnight
Instructions
Cook noodles according to packet instructions and drain. Heat a wok over medium–high heat, add noodles and toss with 2 tbsp vegetable oil and 4 tbsp XO sauce. Serve with bean sprouts, watercress sprigs, sliced spring onions and roasted peanuts.
To make XO sauce, place prawns and scallops in separate bowls, then pour over enough boiling water to cover. Stand overnight then drain well.
Place in a food processor with remaining ingredients except oil, soy and sugar and process until finely chopped. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add mixture and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, then add soy and sugar. Remove from heat and cool. Transfer to sterilised jars (see Note) and cover with a thin layer of extra vegetable oil. XO sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Note
• Fresh Shanghai-style wheat noodles are available from Asian food shops.
• Fresh Shanghai-style wheat noodles are available from Asian food shops.
• Dried prawns and scallops, lap cheong (Chinese sausage) and Jinhua ham are available from Asian food shops.
• Sterilising jars - it is essential to sterilise jars before filling them to prevent bacteria from forming. You can reuse any glass jars as long as the lids seal well. Or buy kilners (jars with rubber seals). To sterilise jars in the oven, preheat oven to 120°C. Wash jars and lids in soapy water, rinse, then dry. Place jars and non-plastic lids on an oven tray and place in oven for 20 minutes. Remove and fill while still hot. To sterilise jars in the dishwasher, place them in the dishwasher on the hottest cycle. Dry with a clean tea towel and fill while still hot.
Photography Chris Chen
As seen in Feast magazine, October 2013, Issue 25.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
