Longevity Noodles are a Chinese chicken mushroom noodle dish usually eaten during family dinners.
Given how much people value longevity in Chinese culture, it’s no surprise that these noodles also make an appearance on one’s birthday. Although most people don’t practice this anymore, Longevity Noodles are still a mainstay on the dinner table as the dish is said to bring auspicious luck!
What are Longevity Noodles?
Longevity Noodles is a flavourful dish packed with various ingredients. This includes chicken breast, a variety of mushrooms (Shiitake works best), Shao Xing rice wine, Yi mien (Cantonese egg noodles) and stalks of Chinese vegetables (either Choy Sum or Pak Choy). The sauce also blends well together to form a nice, “velvety” coating around the stir-fried noodles.
The ingredients are tossed in a hot pan for cooking. And what result is a hearty plate of noodles filled with all kinds of nutrients- from carbohydrates to protein to beneficial antioxidants.
Its History
Noodles have been a staple in Chinese cuisine for a long time, with the first recorded use of noodles stretching back 4000 years ago. Due to its shape and length, ancient Chinese scholars often interpreted it to mean a long and smooth life.
There’s a famous quote by Liu Yu Xi, a Tang Dynasty poet, who said that “holding up noodles while citing verses is to wish the newborn a bright future”.
To “preserve” the value of the noodles, it’s not encouraged to break them when serving them to the birthday host. After all, we don’t want their luck or longevity to be cut short!
Different Variations
An easy way to change up Longevity Noodles is by adding soup or broth to enhance the flavour. Mushrooms soaked in chicken broth lifts the aroma exponentially. Producing a fragrant dish that is not just pleasing to the eyes, but other senses as well.
With the soup version of Longevity Noodles, you can eat it when it’s raining or when you’re feeling unwell. It’s impossible not to feel better right after!
Health Benefits
Overall, Longevity Noodles is considered a healthy-ish dish. Filled with mostly carbohydrates, a serving of the dish hits roughly 453 calories. Not too bad for a single serving.
Carbohydrates aside, the side ingredients do pose incredible health benefits. For example, mushrooms are high in antioxidants that help strengthen immunity. Also, it contains selenium – a vitamin that can assist in liver functions and fight inflammation.
Not to mention, the benefits of Shao Xing Rice Wine includes increasing blood and energy circulation while promoting one’s metabolism. Seeing that only a spoonful of it goes into the making of this dish, you can still reap its benefits without worrying about feeling buzzed or intoxicated after. A little bit does go a long way, indeed!
Where can you find Longevity Noodles in Malaysia
As a seasonal dish, you can find Longevity Noodles in Chinese restaurants or banquet dinners during special occasions. However, you can find a simpler version of the Chinese Chicken Mushroom Noodles on most menus in our vast selection of restaurants.
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