Butter, Soy Sauce & Noodles
A Recipe For Life
I adore eating alone and cooking for one, making a perfect dish just for me with the things I like. Perhaps being alone, my perimenopausal self has no other thing to be irritated at (but myself). It is a treat, especially on a sunny day where I can sit at my garden table, facing the warming west sun. It feels reminiscent of a singleton pre-motherhood life when doing such a thing felt lonesome but now feels entirely wholesome.
I’ve been listening to the novel Butter by Asako Yuzuki on my morning dog walks, the food writing in this book is salivating, the overall plot and storyline is uneventful. The alleged serial killer Manako Kajii took me into my kitchen and forced me to cook a whole pot of rice for myself. I waited by the side of the rice cooker, doing nothing else but wait. As the button flicked to ‘keep warm,’ I used a rice paddle to fluff up the rice, impatiently storing the lid shut again to steam and settle in its fluffiness for a further 10 minutes. Then I smothered the hot rice, fragrant in a white nutty sweet smell in a bowl with a generous knob of butter. Its steam rushing towards me like a freight train, butter seeping away into the crannies. I enjoyed it with a fried egg, plenty of black pepper on the egg and Kikkoman’s unpasterized ‘Nama’ soy sauce. The rich and pure simplicity of this meal completes me more than any Jerry McGuire which I have discovered is the basis of this book.
My butter always sits out on the kitchen counter at room temperature in its Le Cruset dish ready to be spread and used in cooking. A slab of butter in a pan sizzling with garlic is fulfilling before it is even eaten. To this I add cold left over rice, separated and flattened with a wooden spoon and let the butter coat every grain into the mix. I do the same with noodles. Fry off shallots and garlic in salted butter then add a small amount of vegetables like Chinese cabbage to wilt off then add cooked noodles with either premium fish sauce, oyster sauce or soy sauce. Simple yet contentedly delicious.
Wheat, ramen-y noodles are really satisfying, I buy fresh and dry them out on a plate, turning them around to dry fully over a few days, left uncovered. (I cover it with something overnight). If thoroughly dried, these can keep in an airtight container for weeks and be used. To reydrate them, I pour kettle water to submerge them for about 5 minutes. If freshly bought and time is of the essence, try to give them at least 30-60 mins to dry out.
The noodles can be fried with a little butter, garlic and/or shallots and a splash of oyster or soy sauce. If you’re good, set the noodles aside. (If not its ok, but it will be a little crowded and wet). Then add a touch of beansprouts or spring onions or any sliced veg you have into the wok or frying pan. Season with more sauce and cook for a couple of minutes until everything is wilted. Either toss the noodles together or place on top of the set aside noodles. The simplest way is often the best way, drizzled with whatever crispy chilli oil for heat and excitement. I really love Woolf’s Kitchen Chilli Crunch
If you are making for a crowd, it is a good idea to blanch them in advance, rinse quickly under hot tap water and let them dry off in a colander. In a large bowl, toss the noodles with sesame oil and a quick and delicious concoction of soy sauce, mixed with garlic, chillies, vinegar and sugar. (Recipe below). Always think of all the flavours of the palate. Sometimes, I love to mash in a cube of fermented tofu which adds a funk to the flavour or use kimchi juices instead of vinegar. Tahini adds body and sesame oil too.
Add the tossed and pre-dressed noodles to a hot frying pan with olive oil and butter. Season with more soy or oyster sauce if needed. Cook for 3- 5 minutes. Do your veg separately by quickly frying sliced choi sum, or pak choi, chinese cabbage, beansprouts, watercress, chard and so on. Be quick, don’t let the vegetables sag or get soggy. Any kind of greens or tops can use used, sliced to bite sized.
Make it simple but feel free to add as many ingredients as you like. If you don’t want to make a sauce, using a nice oyster sauce (I use premium Lee Kum Kee oyster sauce, with a lady and boy on a boat). Add a couple whole cloves (because too lazy to slice) of garlic will do nicely too.
Here’s a simple recipe for a soy sauce mix, its all you need to know for so many things other than fried noodles. Keep a jar in the fridge, it will last for a couple weeks. You’ll see. Let me know how you use yours!
A lovely soy sauce recipe for noodles or for dressing or dipping:
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 - 2 birdeye chillies, finely chopped (optional)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or kimchi juices
1 tbsp honey, maple syrup or any sugar
1 cube fermented tofu, mashed (optional)
1 tbsp tahini (optional)
2- 3 tbsp good quality light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
SOME NEWS:
I am still doing my supper clubs and cooking classes. Please book to come for a lovely Vietnamese feast made by me, my mum and sister in law. It feels like the interest in this is fading which might mean I should stop or will have to stop. I think people think its always impossible to get into and that it is doing so well and will always be around and will come one day. Come soon :)
Supper Club Dates
29 March
5, 11, 12, 19, 26 April
10, 17, 24, 31 May
7, 21, 28 June
5, 12, 19, 26 July
Cooking class
6th April
11th May
1st June
6th July
I was on Robert Elm’s Listed Londoner show on BBC Radio London last week. I loved participating and telling my story over the famous 15 questions. If you have time on a commute or a walk, have a listen here from 3 hrs 14mins in
He said, “I thought Uyen Luu was one of the loveliest Listed Londoners we have had in yonks, she was just fantastic, what a great credit to this city of ours she is.” Then Gaby Roslin said, “She was an absolute delight, I loved listening to her, so charming..”
Yes, I had a little cry when I heard that, only now as I write this, as I was out of the studio by then and didn’t know that was said at all. My heart!
Thank you for reading my newsletter. Please feel free to share it to those you think may enjoy it. Sending lots of love. Uyen x