According to Chinese folklore, a goddess named Chang'e is banished to earth from the heavens. In an effort to regain her immortality, Chang'e takes the immortality pills and is forever separated from her friends and family. On Sept. 25, the day of the annual Mid-Autumn Festival, the Chinese will celebrate Chang'e's reunion with her loved ones. As a part of the celebration, the Chinese will enjoy various foods, including longevity noodles, which represent the hope for eternal gathering with family.
Prep time is about 30-40 minutes. Makes about 15-20 servings.
Kitchenware:
Longevity Noodles
Photo: Noodles represent longevity; eternal reunion with family and friends.
Noodles represent longevity; eternal reunion with family and friends. Photo courtesy of Ya Zhou.
- 1 cooking pot (8-9 inches in diameter, 6 inches deep)
- 1 non-stick frying pan
- spatula
- egg whisk
- pasta strainer
- kitchen knives
Ingredients:
- 4 medium-sized bunches of bok choy
- 1 lb of thin spaghetti
- 10 tbsp olive oil
- 6 eggs
- fully-cooked turkey, 8 deli slices (or any other preferred meat)
- soy sauce (optional)
Preparation:
1.Boil 2/3 of a pot of water.
2.Detach leaves from the bok choy. Wash carefully and slice in half lengthwise. Do not use the older leaves or the root area.
3.When water boils, add the spaghetti with two tablespoons of olive oil. Boil uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring periodically.
4.Whisk the eggs. Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a frying pan. Pour whisked eggs into the pan until a thin layer forms. Rotate the pan to even out the egg. Remove eggs when fully cooked and repeat until all eggs have been fried.
5.Drain the spaghetti and rinse with cold water. Re-boil the water.
6.Add in the bok choy to the water and boil for two-three minutes. Remove the bok choy from the water.
7.Slice the turkey and eggs. Length is key, so make them as thin and long as possible.
8.In a frying pan, add three tablespoons of olive oil. Toss the spaghetti, bok choy, turkey and egg into the pan. Stir briefly over low heat.
9.Soy sauce is optional but note that it is not used in the traditional Shanghai recipe.
10. Enjoy!