Shanghai Scallion Oil Noodles

Method

1. Put the dried shrimp in a small bowl, cover with hot water and soak for 10 min, then drain and pat dry. Trim the roots off the scallions, wash them and dry them very thoroughly with paper towels; any water left on them makes the oil spit. Cut them into 6 cm lengths and keep the white parts and the green parts in separate piles. Halve thick white parts lengthwise.

2. Put the oil and the scallion whites into a cold 24 cm wok or frying pan, then turn the heat on to medium-low heat. Fry for 3 min, stirring now and then, until the whites are soft and their edges turn golden. Starting in cold oil lets the flavour soak into the oil before the scallions can burn.

   Add in this stepNeutral vegetable oil 60 mlScallions (spring onions) 28 g

   medium-low heat

3. Add the green parts (they will sizzle) and turn the heat down to low heat. Let them fry gently for 10 min, stirring every minute or so, until all the scallions have shrunk, turned dark brown and feel crisp when lifted. Add the drained dried shrimp for the last minute. Watch closely at the end: dark brown is perfect, black tastes bitter.

   Add in this stepScallions (spring onions) 42 gDried shrimp (optional) 10 g

   low heat

4. Lift the scallions and shrimp out onto a plate with a slotted spoon; they crisp up further as they cool. Take the pan off the heat for a moment so the oil cools slightly, then add the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar, standing back because it bubbles up. Return the pan to low heat and stir for 1 min until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce bubbles and looks glossy. Pour it into a heatproof bowl.

   Add in this stepLight soy sauce 3 tbspDark soy sauce 1 tbspWhite sugar 3 tsp

   low heat

5. Bring 2 L of unsalted water to the boil over high heat, which takes about 8 min. Add the noodles, loosen them with chopsticks and cook for 2 min, or as the packet says, until just tender with a little bite. Thin fresh noodles cook fast, so taste one early.

   Add in this stepThin fresh wheat noodles (or thin dried noodles) 240 g

   high heat

6. Drain the noodles well, shaking off as much water as you can, and divide them between warm bowls. Stir the soy scallion oil, spoon all of it over the noodles, top with the crisp scallions and shrimp, and toss well until every strand is coated and glossy. Eat straight away while hot.