Shanghai Noodles with Prawns

Ingredients

• 180 gking prawns, peeled and deveined
• 400 gShanghai noodles or udon noodles
• 3dried shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 3 clovesgarlic
• 3spring onions
• 80 gcabbage
• 1/2bell pepper
• 1/4 tspblack pepper
• to tastesalt
• 1 tbsplight soy sauce
• 2 tbspoyster sauce
• 1 tspdark soy sauce
• 1 tspShaoxing cooking wine or rice vinegar
• 1 tspsugar
• 1 tspsesame oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Chop the vegetables

   Roughly chop the garlic. Cut the cabbage and bell pepper into thin slices.

2. 2

   Prepare the mushrooms

   Cut the spring onions into 2.5 cm pieces. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes, squeeze out the excess water and slice them thinly.

3. 3

   Mix the sauce

   Combine the light and dark soy sauces, oyster sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine or rice vinegar, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.

4. 4

   Loosen the noodles

   Blanch the noodles in boiling water for 1–2 minutes to soften and separate them, or cook them according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.

5. 5

   Heat the oil

   Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the garlic and stir-fry for a few seconds.

6. 6

   Cook the prawns

   Add the king prawns and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Turn them over and cook until almost done.

7. 7

   Stir-fry vegetables

   Add the shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the cabbage and bell pepper, then stir-fry for another minute.

8. 8

   Add noodles and sauce

   Add the noodles and pour in the sauce. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes, until the noodles look glossy and have absorbed the sauce.

9. 9

   Finish with onions

   Add the spring onions and toss everything together. Transfer to a serving plate.

10. 10

    Serve immediately

    Serve the Shanghai noodles straight away.

What are Shanghai noodles?

Shanghai noodles are a Chinese-style noodle dish, commonly made with thick noodles tossed in a savoury stir-fry. This version pairs them with prawns, shiitake mushrooms and crisp vegetables.

The combination works because the noodles carry the glossy soy-and-oyster sauce, while the prawns and vegetables add contrasting textures. Spring onions stirred in at the end bring a fresh finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 427 calories, 28g protein, 69g carbs, 5g fat.

The noodles provide most of the carbohydrates, while the prawns contribute protein. Vegetable oil, sesame oil and the sauces supply much of the fat; serve the noodles with extra vegetables or a light salad to add freshness and balance the plate.

Choosing the noodles

Fresh Shanghai noodles: These are the recipe’s first choice and need only brief blanching to loosen them before stir-frying.

Udon: Straight-to-wok udon can be used instead; follow the packet directions if it needs cooking or loosening first. Thick round noodles are another suitable option.

Get the shiitake ready

Soaking: Dried shiitake need 30 minutes in warm water to soften, so allow for this even though the listed total time is 20 minutes. Squeeze out the extra water before slicing so it does not dilute the stir-fry.

Slicing: Cut the softened mushrooms thinly so they heat through quickly and mix evenly with the noodles.

Keep the stir-fry moving

Garlic first: Stir it in the hot oil for only a few seconds before adding the prawns. This gives it a brief moment to release its aroma without leaving it in the pan long enough to burn.

Prawns next: Turn them as they cook and move on when they are nearly done; they will receive a little more heat with the vegetables and noodles.

Look for glossy noodles

Sauce stage: Once the noodles and sauce are in the pan, stir-fry for 2–3 minutes over medium-high heat. The noodles should look glossy, with the sauce absorbed rather than pooled at the bottom.

Vegetable texture: The cabbage and pepper get a short stir-fry before the noodles go in, helping them heat through while retaining some bite.

Serve it straight away

Timing: Have the sauce mixed and the vegetables prepared before heating the pan, since the cooking stages move quickly. Add the spring onions at the end and serve while the noodles are hot.

On the side: A simple salad or extra steamed vegetables can round out the meal without competing with the savoury sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Prepare and measure the sauce ingredients before you start stir-frying.
• Cut the cabbage and bell pepper into similarly thin slices so they cook at a similar pace.
• Drain the noodles well after blanching to avoid adding excess water to the pan.
• Use medium-high heat and keep the ingredients moving once they are in the pan.
• Add the spring onions only at the end to keep their flavour fresh.

Variations

• Use udon: Swap in straight-to-wok udon or another thick round noodle.
• Try fresh mushrooms: Replace the dried shiitake with fresh shiitake or white mushrooms.
• Adjust the vegetables: Use other sliced vegetables you have on hand in place of the cabbage or pepper.
• Add chilli: Stir in chilli to give the sweet-savoury sauce some heat.
• Use rice vinegar: Choose rice vinegar instead of Shaoxing cooking wine for the sauce.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the soak: Dried shiitake will remain tough; soak them in warm water for 30 minutes first.
• Leaving water on the mushrooms: Excess soaking water can thin the sauce; squeeze the mushrooms before slicing.
• Overcooking the prawns: They cook further later in the pan; move on when they are almost cooked.
• Blanching for too long: The noodles may become too soft for stir-frying; use the brief 1–2 minute blanch as a guide.
• Adding sauce too early: Mix it with the noodles at the stated stage so it coats them instead of cooking away while the other ingredients fry.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and eat within 2 days. Reheat in a pan until steaming hot, adding a small splash of water if the noodles have become dry.

Frequently asked questions