Shan Noodles (Burmese Flat Rice Noodles with Turmeric Meat Sauce)
Quick answer
Shan noodles are the everyday noodle of Myanmar's Shan State, found at nearly every market stall and tea shop in the region.
What makes this special
- Shan Noodles are Burmese flat rice noodles topped with a turmeric meat sauce and crispy garlic oil.
- Crispy fried garlic oil is the essential element adding nuttiness to the mild sauce
- Turmeric's earthiness and tomato's gentle acidity form the Shan sauce flavor base
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Cook 220 g rice noodles about 30 seconds less than the package timing.
- 2 If the noodles start sticking, toss them first with 1 teaspoon of the cooking oil.
- 3 Add the remaining cooking oil to a pan and heat it over medium heat.
Shan noodles are the everyday noodle of Myanmar's Shan State, found at nearly every market stall and tea shop in the region. Thin, flat rice noodles are topped with a sauce of minced chicken or pork cooked with turmeric, tomato, and a touch of chili. The dish is finished with a generous pour of fried garlic oil - golden-brown garlic chips sizzling in their own rendered fat - which gives the bowl its signature aroma. Pickled mustard greens add a sour crunch on the side, and toasted chickpea flour is sprinkled over for a nutty, grainy texture. The noodles come in two styles: a dry version tossed with the sauce, and a soup version swimming in a light broth. Both are eaten with a spoon and fork rather than chopsticks, in keeping with Burmese custom.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Cook 220 g rice noodles about 30 seconds less than the package timing.
Rinse briefly under cold water, then drain in a sieve for about 3 minutes so the noodles stay separate.
- 2Heat
If the noodles start sticking, toss them first with 1 teaspoon of the cooking oil.
Keep them in a bowl while you prepare the topping, instead of leaving them packed in the sieve.
- 3Control
Add the remaining cooking oil to a pan and heat it over medium heat.
Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and 1/2 onion, then stir-fry for about 2 minutes until the onion looks translucent.
- 4Control
Add 220 g ground chicken and break it into small pieces with a spatula.
Cook for about 4 minutes, until no pink remains and the moisture in the pan has reduced.
- 5Season
Add 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon chili flakes.
Lower the heat and stir-fry for 1 minute so the salty and spicy seasoning coats the chicken evenly.
- 6Season
Divide the noodles among bowls and spoon the chicken sauce over them.
Warm the oil left in the pan briefly, drizzle it over the top for aroma, and toss the noodles just before eating.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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