How could anyone resist this dish? It is quick, easy, and delicious, yet still incredibly versatile. Many of you have already sent me photos of your own customized versions, and I love seeing every single one.
Ingredients for honey garlic noodles
Light and dark soy sauce : First, a quick reminder that sweet soy sauce is a Western, chemically enhanced invention.
I never use it. Instead, I start with regular soy sauce and add sugar only when needed; this way we preserve all the subtle nuances of real soy sauce.
In short, there are two main types of savoury soy sauce, and you can learn more in my full article on the topic.
The quick takeaway: the standard store-bought soy sauce is the “light” version; the dark variety adds extra depth but is not essential.
Which noodles should you use? Well, whatever you like! You could even use spaghetti if you are not worried about upsetting the Gods. Personally, I have a soft spot for wide rice noodles or udon noodles.
Tips for perfect garlic and honey noodles
Cook your chosen noodles according to the packet instructions, but for outstanding stir-fried noodles run them under cold water in a colander as soon as they are done. This halts the cooking and firms them up, giving them a far better texture once you stir-fry.
Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and thinly sliced spring onions; it may sound simple, but they truly lift the texture, flavour, and appearance of the dish.
If you would like to add vegetables such as onions or some meat, first marinate the meat, cut into strips, for ten minutes in one tablespoon of light soy sauce.
Stir-fry the meat for 5 minutes over high heat before cooking anything else, then set it aside. Stir-fry the onions next and set them aside with the meat.
After that, add the garlic and continue with the recipe as usual, returning the meat and onions at the very end and stir-frying for 2 minutes to warm everything through. This is a classic Chinese cooking pattern for stir-fried noodles. By the way, if you want something a little more elaborate, try my chicken noodles
Warning, if you use pork, chicken, shrimp, or any protein other than beef, you will need to stir-fry for longer, as these must be cooked all the way through.
What to serve with garlic and honey noodles?
This dish is meant to be a quick, complete “lazy” meal on its own. However, if you would rather serve a separate side than add meat directly to the noodles, here are a few ideas.
Choose a protein that is not already sweet. For instance, the delicious cumin beef works well. Sichuan beef is also fantastic. And if you want to stay in the garlic-and-honey family, my honey-garlic caramelised chicken is a great match
Matériel
Ingredients
- 200 g pre-cooked noodles (this is the weight after cooking)
- 1 pinch of black sesame seeds
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
Procédé
- Melt the butter over medium-high heat
- Add the garlic, sauté for 1 min
- Add the remaining ingredients
- Let caramelize/thicken (5–6 min)
- Add the noodles and toss
- Garnish with black sesame seeds
