Lucky Long Noodles

A New Year tradition in many Asian cultures, eating long noodles is said to bring luck and longevity. Don’t break them prior to boiling. Slurp them up whole. Bask in the glowing flavors of an auspicious dish. And thank Chef Roger Li of Pittsburgh for a delicious way to welcome 2025 and all the good things it will bring.

Why Are These Long Noodles Lucky?

There are a couple of reasons why long noodles are lucky. The length represents a long life. But according to the tradition, the chef can’t cut the noodle strands, because breaking it cancels out the good luck. There’s a whole host of different traditions around it, and as with many culinary legends, no one can really agree on one origin. The most common recipe for long noodles is yi mein, a chewy and spongy Cantonese egg noodle akin to what we used here. Some say the tradition of long noodles for New Year’s dates back as long ago as the Han Dynasty in China. Each country has its own version of it, though.

Lucky Long Noodles

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• Author: Chef Roger Li

Print Recipe

Description

A long life with long noodles!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 lobster tails
• 1/2 oz ginger, sliced thin
• 1/2 oz shallots, sliced thin
• 1/2 oz garlic, sliced thin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp chicken powder
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 5 oz long egg noodles
• 1 cup scallion julienne
• 2 tbsp shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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Instructions

1. In a wok, fry ginger, shallot, garlic in sesame oil.
2. Deglaze with Shaoxing wine.
3. Add stock and all other ingredients. Mix well.
4. Add egg noodles and lobster tail.
5. Cook until noodles are tender, and lobster is cooked.

Recipe by Chef Roger Li, Umami, Nanban, The Parlor Dim Sum, Allegheny Wine Mixer, Yume Omakase
Photography by Laura Petrilla

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