Scallion oil noodles (cong you ban mian)
Photo: Asamboi · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

Cold tossed noodles were already known in the Tang and Song dynasties, but the dish Shanghai eats today is credited to Chen Youzhi, a snack maker who worked the City God Temple market and put together the modern version in 1889 by blending northern and southern techniques. As the city industrialised through the early 20th century, the noodles' speed and low cost made them a staple lunch for factory workers and market traders, and the dish spread from street stalls into neighbourhood noodle shops across Shanghai.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Shellfish

Make it at home

Yield Serves 2Hands-on 20 minTotal 20 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 6 spring onions, white and green parts, cut into 2cm lengths
  • 120ml vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp dried shrimp, chopped (optional)
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 250g fresh wheat noodles
  • Extra chopped spring onion, to finish

Method

  1. Pat the spring onion pieces dry with paper towel to stop them spitting in the hot oil.
  2. Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat, add the spring onion and reduce the heat to low.
  3. Fry gently, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns dark gold and crisp, about 12 minutes.
  4. If using dried shrimp, add it with the sugar and light soy sauce and fry a further 2 minutes until fragrant.
  5. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the dark soy sauce.
  6. Boil the noodles until just tender, then drain well.
  7. Toss the hot noodles straight through the scallion oil and sauce until every strand is coated. Scatter with extra spring onion and serve at once.

Tip from the editors. Fry the spring onion low and slow; if it browns too fast the oil turns bitter instead of sweet and nutty.

Where to eat scallion oil noodles (cong you ban mian)

Scallion oil noodles (cong you ban mian) in Shanghai

Huxi Laolongtang Noodle Shop ★ 4.1

¥ NoodlesChangning

Huxi Laolongtang Noodle Shop on Dingxi Road in Shanghai is known for chewy scallion oil noodles heaped with dried shrimp, and for clam and pork liver noodles.

TryScallion oil noodles with dried shrimp

TipWeekday lunch queues run past 30 minutes; on weekends arrive before 11:00, and ask for extra scallion oil.

Directions

Jianguo 328 ★ 4.0

¥¥ ShanghaineseFrench Concession

Jianguo 328 on West Jianguo Road in Shanghai cooks MSG-free Benbang classics, drawing crowds for its dried-shrimp scallion oil noodles and pork belly.

OrderScallion oil noodles and the red-braised pork belly.

TipReserve ahead and aim for off-peak hours; the noodles pair well with the crispy pork chop.

Directions

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