Stir-Fried Cellophane Noodles with Enoki Mushrooms

You need to try these stir-fried cellophane noodles with enoki mushrooms, carrots, and snow peas tossed in a flavorful sauce of chicken broth, soy sauce, garlic, and toasted sesame oil. They're soooo good! 

The transparent noodles absorb the wonderful flavors from the sauce. This stir-fry is super easy and amazingly delicious. 

These stir-fried cellophane noodles with enoki mushrooms also gave me the opportunity to cook with two new (to me) ingredients, cellophane noodles and enoki mushrooms. 

Cellophane Noodles:

These noodles were easy to find once I figured out all of the alternative names. They are also called glass noodles, bean thread noodles, and saifun. Serendipitously, my local grocery store carries lots of packages labeled "Saifun" in the Asian noodle section. 

In the package, they look a lot like dried rice noodles, however, they are totally different in texture and appearance once they are softened and reconstituted. They are distinguished by their texture and transparency. 

They are made from the starch of the mung bean, the same bean that is used to make bean sprouts. They are pretty flavorless on their own but take on the flavor of whatever sauce you are using. 

When cooked, they are totally see-through. They are stretchy and smooth and have a wonderful texture. They're very slurp-able! 

Enoki Mushrooms:

The first time I shopped for enoki mushrooms, I actually found them in my local Ralph's. However, since then, Ralph's has stopped carrying them and I have to hunt them down at the various Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Viet grocery stores in the area. I'm so grateful for the variety I have available. 

Enoki mushrooms are distinctive by their long stems and tiny caps. They are mild in flavor and add a crisp texture to dishes. If you can't find them, you can substitute thinly sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms (or any button mushroom). 

Enoki mushrooms come with long stems all clumped together. You need to cut the ends off where they are attached (about 1 1/2 inches above the root), and give them a good wash and dry. They're kind of like bean sprouts, in that there are concerns about their cleanliness when raw because of the soil in which they are grown. Right now, the recommendation is that they be thoroughly cooked. Therefore, don't use them raw in salads at the moment. They are great for soups. 

While I'm typically ambivalent about mushrooms (love the flavor, hate the texture), these were perfect. They blended in with the noodles, and weren't rubbery at all! We didn't even know we were eating mushrooms. 

We actually had this dish with grilled steaks and the flavors of the garlic, chiles, soy, and sesame really complimented the steaks! Better than a baked potato!

Ingredients and Process: 

This dish is super easy. The ingredients include the noodles, mushrooms, chicken broth, soy sauce, garlic, red pepper flakes, julienned carrots, julienned snow peas, salt, and sesame oil, along with peanut oil for stir frying. 

First, you soak the noodles in warm water for about 20 minutes and then drain them and cut them into about six inch pieces so they don't form a large clump in your wok. Next, you cut the roots off of the mushrooms and separate them. 

You briefly sear the garlic and red pepper flakes, add the carrots and mushrooms, then the noodles, then the broth and soy sauce. Toss in the snow peas and cover and cook for a bit. Sprinkle with salt and sesame oil. Voila! Amazingness. 

Equipment You May Need:

While a 12 inch skillet will work, using a 14-inch carbon steel wok, along with a lid, makes preparing this dish so much easier. 

To julienne the snow peas, you'll need a sharp Santuko knife. 

To julienne the carrots, I love using a good julienne peeler. It makes it super easy. 

Additionally, to toss the stir-fry ingredients, you will need a metal spatula. I like using a fish spatula. 

You can serve these noodles while they are hot, warm, room temperature, or even cold. They're great as a light snack or lunch, and as part of a multi-course Chinese stir-fry meal. 

Leftovers are totally snackable! 

This week, the Sunday Funday group is sharing recipes featuring mushrooms! Be sure to check out everyone's recipes:

• Beef Tips with Mushroom Gravy from Palatable Pastime
• Boursin Stuffed Mushrooms from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Mushroom Spinach Curry from Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Mushrooms in Creamy Gravy from Sneha's Recipe
• Quiche Lorraine Filled Portabella Mushrooms from Food Lust People Love
• Stir-Fried Cellophane Noodles with Enoki Mushrooms from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Three Mushroom Pâté from Culinary Cam

For another great noodle stir fry, try Beef Chow Fun.

Stir-Fried Cellophane Noodles with Enoki Mushrooms

Yield: 4 servings

Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories

Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 5 MinTotal time: 30 Min

These stir-fried cellophane noodles with enoki mushrooms, carrots, and snow peas are tossed in a flavorful sauce of chicken broth, soy sauce, garlic, and toasted sesame oil.

Ingredients

• 3.5 ounce package of saifun (cellophane noodles)
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 4 ounces enoki mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons peanut, grapeseed, or vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup julienned carrots (from about 3 medium carrots)
• 1 cup julienned snow peas
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, soak the saifun in hot water for about 20 minutes. Drain in a collander and then cut the noodles roughly into 6 inch lengths with kitchen shears. Place on paper towels to continue to drain.
2. In a small bowl, combine the chicken broth and the soy sauce.
3. Trim the bottom off of the enoki mushrooms so that the mushrooms separate. rinse the mushrooms and dry on paper towels.
4. Heat a 14-inch carbon steel wok over high heat. Swirl in the oil and add the garlic and chiles. Stir fry for 10 seconds. Add the carrots and mushrooms and stir fry for one minute.
5. Add the cellophane noodles and and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the broth and soy sauce mixture, add the snow peas, and cover the wok and cook for one minute. Uncover the wok, sprinkle the mixture with the salt, and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. All of the liquid should have been just about absorbed.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sesame oil.
7. Serve.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

143

Fat (grams)

12 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

2 g

Carbs (grams)

8 g

Fiber (grams)

2 g

Net carbs

6 g

Sugar (grams)

3 g

Protein (grams)

3 g

Cholesterol (grams)

1 mg

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2015/09/stir-fried-cellophane-noodles-with.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

wok, cellophane noodles, enoki

side dish

Chinese

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Originally published September, 2015. Updated April, 2024. 

Recipe adapted from Stir Frying to the Sky's Edge by Grace Young. This book is the only one you'll ever need to master the art of wok cooking.