Name: Shiitake stir-fry noodles
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: East Asian
Ingredients: 3 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tbsp oyster sauce, optional; use vegetarian mushroom stir-fry sauce instead; 1 tsp caster sugar; 2 tbsp water; 200 g dried egg noodles, or 400 g ready-to-wok udon; 200 g fresh shiitake mushrooms, stalks removed, caps sliced; 2 small pak choi, or 3 Chinese cabbage leaves, roughly chopped; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated; 3 sprigs spring onions, whites and greens sliced separately; 2 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil; 2 tsp toasted sesame oil; 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds; chilli flakes or chilli sauce, optional

Meaty, smoky shiitake hold their own in a hot wok, so this needs no meat at all. The key is to spread the mushrooms out in one layer and leave them alone, so they sear and caramelise at the edges instead of stewing in their own juices.

Oyster sauce rounds out the flavour but isn't essential; for a vegetarian version, use a mushroom-based stir-fry sauce instead.

Servings 2

Method

Tap a step when it's done; in cook mode the next one is highlighted.

Stir the sauce ingredients together in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. Pull off the tough shiitake stalks (keep them for stock) and slice the caps 5 mm thick. Separate the pak choi stems from the leaves and prep the garlic, ginger and spring onions. A stir-fry moves fast, so have everything ready by the hob.
~12 min
Cook the noodles in boiling water for the time on the packet (usually 3–4 minutes), drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with 1 tsp of the sesame oil so they don't stick. If you're using ready-to-wok udon, just loosen it in boiling water for a minute and drain.
~5 min
Heat a wok or large frying pan over the highest heat until it just starts to smoke. Add 1 tbsp oil, spread the mushrooms in a single layer and leave them untouched for 2 minutes, then toss and cook for 2 minutes more until browned and glossy at the edges.
~4 min
Add the rest of the oil and stir-fry the spring onion whites, garlic and ginger for 30 seconds without letting them burn. Add the pak choi stems for a minute, then the leaves for another 30 seconds, until they just start to wilt.
~3 min
Add the noodles and the sauce. Toss with two spatulas or tongs for 1–2 minutes until every strand is coated in a glossy sauce and there's no liquid left in the bottom of the wok.
~4 min
Take off the heat, drizzle with the remaining sesame oil and scatter with the spring onion greens and sesame seeds. Serve straight away, with chilli if you like.
~2 min

Enjoy!

The mushroom in this recipe

Shiitake Lentinula edodes

About this species Grow it at home Fresh mushrooms

Mushroom swaps

Oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatusTear into wide strips; it cooks faster than shiitake, so 2–3 minutes in the wok is enough.
Chestnut mushroom Agaricus bisporusSlice thickly and cook until all its liquid has gone; the flavour is milder.
Enoki Flammulina velutipesSwap in enoki for half the shiitake and add it in the last minute so it stays crisp.

Tips

Don't overcrowd the wok; if you're cooking for more than two, sear the mushrooms in batches.
To use dried shiitake, soak 30 g in warm water for 30 minutes, squeeze and slice, and use 2 tbsp of the soaking liquid in place of the water in the sauce.
Keep the shiitake stalks and simmer them with onion and ginger for a light stock.

Storage

Best eaten as soon as it's made. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day; reheat thoroughly in a pan with a splash of water. The noodles soften as they sit.

Read our guide to storing mushrooms →