Burmese garlic noodles

Garlic noodles are a treat anytime. Similar variations exist in most Far Eastern cuisines, such as Thai, Vietnam, China, and Korea, but this version is my favourite.

The noodles are lightly spiced with Sriracha sauce, ginger, and loads of garlic and accompanied by fresh and crunchy cucumbers. I thought the noodles were perfect, flavorful, and a wonderful side for the Burmese grilled okra with tomato shrimp relish. This makes for a wonderful noodle dish by itself or as a side with any Asian dinner. This simple recipe is from one of those cookbooks that I have missed on my shelf. One of the advantages of cataloguing my library on this site is that now I have visibility to some of these fabulous cookbooks. Burma Superstar is a fabulous restaurant, one that I have enjoyed many a meal at, and this recipe is no exception. The recipes are authentic, vibrant, and delicious—it is literally like bringing the restaurant home. This is a wonderful cookbook for Burmese cuisine.

For more recipes from this wonderful cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons oil

6-7 tablespoons garlic, minced

1/2 cup red onions or shallots, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 cup sriracha sauce, or to taste

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Salt to taste

1/4-1/2 cup water from the cooked noodles

12 oz thin egg noodles or Chinese wheat noodles

Scallions, sliced thin

Cucumbers, thin rounds

Heat the oil in a wok on low heat. Add the garlic and sauté until it turns light golden—do not make it dark brown. Add the onions and the soy sauce and stir quickly to bring down the temperature. Cook until the onions are soft, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the Sriracha sauce, ginger paste, and sugar and stir to mix. Sauté until cooked through. If you have not started the noodles, remove them from the stove and set them aside.

Cook the noodles according to the manufacturer's instructions, minus 1 minute. It is important to leave the noodles slightly raw so that they do not get soggy later. Save the cooking liquid.

Add the cooking water to the garlic sauce and add the drained noodles. Bring the noodles back to the flame and cook, mixing the noodles and sauce well. The noodles will quickly absorb the liquids and cook in them, about 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt if needed. The soy sauce is salty, and I usually do not need any additional salt.

Serve immediately in a deep bowl sprinkled with the scallions and sliced cucumbers.

The noodles tend to clump up if not served immediately.