I love going to my local Chinese supermarket; it’s like being at the top of the Magic Faraway Tree, where the world (and ergo my mealtimes) are full of wild possibilities and new travels for my tastebuds. A new favourite ingredient is rose red beancurd, so called because it’s red and fermented in a combination of red yeast and rose petals. The overall effect in this noodle recipe, a take on the Thai street food dish, suki hang, is that it imparts a delicious char siu flavour when cooked, which is a lot of magic for a single ingredient.

Noodles with rose beancurd, spring greens and egg

I used rose red fermented tofu by Wangzhihe, which can be found in Chinese supermarkets (or online), along with the mung bean noodles. Have everything prepped and ready to go, because this comes together very quickly. Can be easily doubled up to serve four.

Prep 15 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 2 (and easily doubled up)

For the sauce
2 cubes rose beancurd, plus 2½ tbsp juice from the jar
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated or minced
2 tbsp rice vinegar
3½ tbsp light soy sauce
2½ tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
1 bird’s eye chilli, stalk discarded, flesh very finely chopped

For the noodles
150g dried mung bean noodles
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
100g spring onions, whites and greens, finely sliced, washed and drained
150g fine beans, sliced on an angle into 2cm pieces
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
200g spring greens, cored and shredded
2 medium eggs
20g Thai basil, leaves picked

Cut the noodles with scissors, if need be, then cook according to the packet instructions – they’re usually cooked in boiling water or soaked in warm water. Drain well, then rinse under cold water and drain again.

To make the sauce, mash the beancurd and its juice to a smooth paste, then add the garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame seeds and chilli.

Put the rapeseed oil in a wide frying pan on a medium-high heat and, when hot, add the spring onions and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Add the beans, stir-fry for two to three minutes, then add the tomatoes and spring greens, and stir-fry for another three minutes, until the greens are wilted.

Push all the veg to one side of the pan, add the eggs to the other side and mix to scramble them. Stir the eggs into the vegetables until well combined.

Add the noodles and sauce to the pan, then use a spaghetti fork and a wooden spoon to pull the sauce and vegetables through the noodles until everything is well mixed. Take off the heat, fold through the Thai basil and serve immediately.