Slippery noodles in a tangy soup, hot and sour glass noodle soup is irresistible but easy to prepare. A classic Sichuan dish you ought to try.
There are a few dishes which always make me drool (even the thought of them). Chinese hot and sour glass noodle soup (酸辣粉) is definitely at the top of the list. Tangy and pungent, it’s a classic Sichuan street food which has gained popularity in every corner of China and has made its way to some high-end restaurants. If you love big flavours, today’s recipe won’t disappoint.
It’s super tangy but irresistible
I fell in love with hot and sour glass noodle soup as a teenager when I had to buy my lunch outside school. Sichuan street food just “invaded” the city I was living in at that time. A food stall selling local delicacies near my school put hot and sour glass noodle soup on its menu.
The first time I ventured to try this dish, I finished it in tears. It was like a spice explosion in my mouth, super hot, tangy but irresistible. Since then, every time I eat out, either in a small cafe or in a fancy restaurant, I always order this dish if it’s available.
It’s quite simple to make
Even though I really love hot and sour glass noodle soup, I never thought of making it myself until I left China. Cooking this dish is much simpler than I had imagined. More importantly, all the ingredients are easily accessible (for me personally, it means in Switzerland and England). Once you get everything to hand, it’s just a matter of assembling them.
What are glass noodles?
Glass noodles (aka cellophane noodles, Chinese vermicelli) are a type of noodles made from starch and water. They come dry and stiff. Normally you need to soak them in water prior to cooking. Hot and sour glass noodle soup calls for sweet potato glass noodles in particular.
They are grey in colour and are of a similar size to spaghetti when cooked. I adore its texture: smooth, slippery and elastic. You can find them in most Chinese / Asian stores (they are popular in Korean cuisine too).
Three key ingredients for great taste
The use of Chinese chilli oil (homemade preferable) and black rice vinegar makes this dish “hot and sour”. They are essential and irreplaceable. Freshly ground Sichuan pepper is another key to great flavour. Shop bought Sichuan pepper powder is acceptable.
Fry soybeans as a topping
It’s definitely worth the effort to cook fried soybeans for topping. It will make your dish truly authentic. I often cook an extra amount, as fried soybeans are a delicious snack on their own (sprinkle some salt over if you wish).
Another note, I garnished my dish with chopped garlic sprouts, simply because I happened to have grown some at home (read my post Homegrown Garlic Sprouts). Please feel free to use spring onion as a substitute.
Hot and sour glass noodle soup (酸辣粉)
Ingredients
- 200 g sweet potato glass noodles, 7oz
For the fried soybeans
- 2 tbsp dried soy beans
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
For the soup
- 2 tbsp black rice vinegar
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 4 tsp Chinese chilli oil, or to taste
- ½ tsp ground Sichuan pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- Salt, to taste
- 500 ml chicken stock, 2 cups, see note 1
For the garnish
- 2 tbsp preserved Sichuan pickle (Zha Cai), chopped
- Coriander, chopped
- Garlic sprouts, chopped, or scallions
Instructions
Fry the soy beans
- Soak the soybeans overnight. Drain and pat dry with a cloth or kitchen paper.
- Pour oil and soybeans into a cold wok (or a frying pan). Fry on a medium low heat until the beans are nicely browned.
- Drain the excess oil through a sieve. Set aside.
Cook the noodles
- Soak the noodles in warm water for about half an hour until pliable.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Put in drained noodles. Boil until they are cooked (see note 2).
- Rinse under tap water for a few seconds then drain.
Prepare the soup
- In two serving bowls, mix all the ingredients for the soup (except for the chicken stock).
- Bring the chicken stock to a boil then pour into two bowls.
Assemble the dish
- Place well drained noodles into the bowls. Top with fried soybeans and preserved Sichuan pickle. Garnish with coriander and garlic sprouts.
NOTES
If you find this recipe appealing, don’t forget to check out “Dan dan noodles”, another star dish from Sichuan cuisine. Happy cooking!
Fantastic soup! Really really good! I made my own stock – chicken-beed, in the slowcooker. I would like to make it again, but I also want to make hot and sour soup from your blog. And I think it will be also a success 🙂
So glad that you enjoyed it. Happy cooking!
I really can’t wait to make this soup this weekend 🙂 My only worry is that I have no Sichuan pickle. I even don’t know what is that :-/ What I can use instead? If the soup will lose a lot of its taste?
Sichuan pickle is preserved mustard stem, known as Zha Cai/榨菜 in Chinese. It’s quite common so you should be able to find it in your local Chinese shop (show shop assistant its Chinese name). But don’t worry if it’s not available. You noodle soup will still taste great without it.
I followed the recipe exactly and it was sooo good. I miss this so much. I’ve never been able to find anything here in the US. Yum!
Great to hear that my recipe has satisfied your craving. Happy cooking!
I’ve been trying to replicate the hot and sour noodle soup from the Chinese place in the food court. After several tries and much craving this recipe pretty much nails it. It really hits the spot. This is like food crack!!!
Hi! So happy to hear that! Sometimes it does take some time to find the right recipe that works best for you. Glad that mine satisfied your craving. Have a lovely day!
Hi, Eduardo! Glad that you find my recipe helpful.
I made a similar thai/creole fusion dish back at home raw soybeans weren’t available so I replaced them with sweet lentils
As for the noodles i used rice Size (M) Bánh Pho after boiling I soaked them with lemon juice adding the sour taste
The meat I used was deconstituted pork fricassee prepared with wine
As vegetables I added sautéed onions chopped in cubes and artichokes served as a side yeah wtf.
But I love them so don’t judge.
The rest of the procedure parallels this recipe.
I served the noodles
With spicy chili sauce
I don’t have Sichuan pepper so I used the next best thing a sauce made with peppers of similar capseine value.
In the end I was left at a blank state it lacked something after reading this recipe I was inspired to take up cooking and understanding proper procedure.
I got it not noodles soup jackass.
The broth itself stabilizes spicy sweet and sour flavors.
BTW great recipie
I never make this the same way twice! Sometimes I use maifun noodles, add black soybeans in chili paste, fresh Thai chilis, grated ginger, seaweed, wood ear fungus, mushrooms, white pepper, fish sauce, tofu, sesame oil, etc. It all depends on what I have on hand and what my mood is. I like mine spicy! Sichuan peppercorns and chilis are a must! Had some for breakfast this morning. Good way to start the day when it’s cold out! Thanks!
Sounds interesting! This is exactly why cooking is a creative matter. Once you’ve got the basic idea, you are free to add your very own twist. Thank you for sharing your ideas!
Definitely look forward to making this dish!
Great choice!
So glad I found your blog! I lived in Shanghai for three years and I’ll be moving to Shangrao soon. I’m home for the summer and last night I dreamt about this dish (it’s one of my faves). Cant wait to try it!
Wow! From Shanghai to Shangrao! It will be a big change. Hope you will enjoy the life there (There are many great dishes in Jiangxi province, for example spicy Jiangxi rice noodles). And wish you every success in making this Sichuan dish!
I miss this dish so much! I used to eat it all the time when I was in high school, but haven’t seen it in the US. Can’t wait to try out your recipe soon 🙂
Haha! We have something in common then. This is also my regular lunch during those years in high school. Your comment brought me back to this post. My mouth started watering simply because I saw the photos!! Will have to cook it tomorrow for lunch. Have a great weekend!