Meera Sodha's Prosperity Noodle Salad Recipe for Lunar New Year Luck
This Tuesday heralds the commencement of the lunar new year, specifically the year of the fire horse, symbolising fresh opportunities, personal growth, and abundant good fortune. Many individuals are eager to welcome this auspicious period, and a delightful way to celebrate involves preparing a special noodle salad. This dish, a variation inspired by a creation first savoured at Mandy Yin's renowned restaurant, Sambal Shiok, is deeply rooted in Malaysian and Singaporean culinary traditions.
The core concept revolves around a communal tossing ritual: all participants around the table simultaneously lift the salad high into the air. According to popular superstition, the height achieved during the toss directly correlates with the amount of luck that will follow in the coming year. It's an engaging and festive activity that adds a layer of fun to the dining experience.
Ingredients and Preparation for Prosperity Toss Noodle Salad
Key components such as dried beancurd sticks and pink sushi ginger are readily available in Chinese supermarkets or through online retailers. Once soaked, the beancurd sticks transform into a chewy, thinly sliced tofu-like texture. This recipe emphasises meticulous preparation, with the actual cooking limited to frying the beancurd sticks and cashews, along with boiling the noodles. Essential equipment includes a large lipped bowl or platter capable of serving four people, accompanied by four pairs of chopsticks for the tossing ceremony.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 4
- 120g dried beancurd skin sticks, broken into 4cm pieces
- 6 clementines: 2 peeled and sliced into rounds, 4 juiced to yield 8 tablespoons
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 8 tablespoons rapeseed oil
- 150g dried wheat noodles
- 100g roasted cashews, chopped
- Fine sea salt
- 2 small red chicory (275g), halved lengthways and thinly sliced
- 30g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- 30g bunch mint, leaves picked and chopped
- 30g pickled pink sushi ginger, drained and thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons crispy fried onions
Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
Begin by placing the broken beancurd skin sticks in a heatproof bowl. Cover them with boiling water, ensuring all pieces are fully submerged by poking them down, and allow them to soak for 30 minutes until softened. Check for doneness by slicing one stick to confirm it is cooked through without any crunchiness in the centre, then drain thoroughly.
To create the dressing, whisk together the clementine juice, rice vinegar, light soy sauce, two teaspoons of toasted sesame oil, and four tablespoons of rapeseed oil in a small bowl. Set this aside for later use.
Meanwhile, cook the dried wheat noodles according to the instructions on the packet. Once cooked, drain and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process. After draining again, toss the noodles with two tablespoons of rapeseed oil to prevent sticking and set them aside.
For the cashews, place them in a cold pan and toast over medium heat for approximately five minutes, stirring frequently until they are evenly browned. Transfer the toasted cashews to a bowl to cool.
Using the same pan, warm the remaining two tablespoons of rapeseed oil. When the oil is hot, add the drained beancurd skins along with half a teaspoon of fine sea salt and the remaining two teaspoons of toasted sesame oil. Cook for about five minutes until the beancurd begins to crisp up, then remove from the heat.
Assembling and Serving the Salad
To assemble the dish, position the dressed noodles in the centre of the large lipped bowl or platter. Arrange the sliced chicory, fresh herbs, beancurd skin, clementine rounds, and pickled ginger artistically around the noodles. Scatter the toasted cashews and crispy fried onions over the top as a finishing touch.
Pour the prepared dressing evenly over the salad. Encourage all diners to arm themselves with chopsticks and participate in the communal toss. For added authenticity and enthusiasm, consider shouting "Lo Hei!" during the tossing ritual to invoke prosperity and good luck for the lunar new year ahead.
