noodles

Since our trip to Hong Kong and the awesome inspirational Momofuku recipes, we make noodles. It's like pasta, same method but better recipe and results. And I am hooked. It is like when you crave sushi or lamb tjops, I crave noodle broth! That's how good it is.

In Hong Kong, there are noodles literally everywhere. You smell it, you see it, you are probably lucky if you don't trip on it walking in the streets, breakfast, lunch and dinner. From the minute we put our bags in the Hotel at 9pm, we took a taxi and we were out and about, non-stop for the 2 days. Thank goodness we like to eat, it was the start of a cyclone and the weather was getting really bad. We walked and shopped and stopped to eat, whenever the rain gets too hectic we just smooch our way into another backdoor restaurant, not expecting too much. But my word, every sweetcorn soup, noodle broth, fried noodles, eel sushi, crispy whatever we had served with the best tea was always just flippin' good. Not forgetting the dim sum's. That specific night, we walked and ate and drank tea until 2 in the morning; that is how the Chinese roll in Hong Kong.

During the day we were on the hunt for all the fresh food markets. All that Arno really wanted in Hong Kong was a fresh eel. He read about it, that at some these fresh markets they sell fresh eel (look at the photo - they really keep the fish as fresh as possible) and then slice it up and fry it. Unfortunately we couldn't find the eel that he wanted. I wasn't too upset, I can live without eating fresh eel. At these markets they also make noodles (refer to photo), and do they make noodles!! The amount of noodles in one spot is actually mind blowing. I am sure that those ladies can make the noodles in their sleep.

The secret to noodles, as far as I know in my experience, is the alkaline ingredient and the method of kneading that makes the noodles chewy and to not disintegrate like a soft pasta would into a hot ramen broth. For the alkaline we use sodium carbonate and the dough should be kneaded until it is elastic and smooth. Just roll it out with a pasta machine, blanch it quickly and let it cook further in the hot broth.

Unfortunately I don't know any specific restaurant in Cape Town that makes amazing ramen broth (besides some chinese restaurant where I wouldn't really try it). So far I am lucky, I don't have to go far because our kitchen is a few steps away.