Suanlafen (Sichuan Hot-and-Sour Sweet Potato Noodle Soup)

Quick answer

Total time: 35 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

This hot-and-sour noodle soup serves two with 180 g sweet potato noodles, 800 ml chicken stock, black vinegar, chili oil, bok choy, and peanuts.

Soak the noodles in lukewarm water for 10 minutes, loosen any stuck strands by hand, and drain them well. Separate 80 g bok choy into manageable leaves and stems, and coarsely crush 30 g peanuts, keeping them aside so they stay crisp. Bring the stock to a boil over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the drained noodles and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring from the bottom to prevent sticking. Once the strands turn translucent, add the bok choy and continue for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the stems soften slightly and the leaves remain bright. Lower the heat as soon as a noodle feels springy without a hard center. Divide the soup between bowls, add 2 tablespoons black vinegar in stages to control the sourness, drizzle with 2 tablespoons chili oil, and finish with the crushed peanuts.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

sweet potato noodles180 gg

chicken stock800 mlml

black vinegar2 tbsptbsp

chili oil2 tbsptbsp

soy sauce1 tbsptbsp

minced garlic1 tsptsp

peanuts30 gg

bok choy80 gg

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Step

Soak 180 g sweet potato noodles in lukewarm water for 10 minutes.

Loosen any stuck strands gently with your fingers, then drain well so excess water does not dilute the broth.
2

Step

Rinse 80 g bok choy and separate large leaves and stems into easy-to-eat pieces.

Coarsely crush 30 g peanuts, then keep them aside until serving so they stay crunchy.
3

Control

Pour 800 ml chicken stock into a pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon minced garlic, then simmer for 2 minutes to soften the raw garlic edge.
4

Control

Add the drained noodles and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

Stir from the bottom to prevent sticking, and when the noodles turn translucent, add the bok choy.
5

Heat

Cook 1 to 2 minutes more, just until the bok choy stems soften slightly and the leaves look bright.

Check one noodle; when it bites springy rather than hard, lower the heat.
6

Finish

Divide the noodles and broth into bowls, then add the 2 tablespoons black vinegar in stages to control the sourness.

Drizzle with 2 tablespoons chili oil, top with peanuts, and serve hot.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Sichuan sweet potato noodles served in a hot-and-sour broth of black vinegar and chili oil.
Finish cue: Stir from the bottom to prevent sticking, and when the noodles turn translucent, add the bok choy.