All-Purpose Stir Fry Sauce- Vietnamese Garlic Noodles
San Francisco's Surprise: Vietnamese Garlic Noodles
The year was 1972. The place: San Francisco's historic Thanh Long restaurant. A culinary innovation was about to be born. This wasn't a dish straight from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, but a unique Vietnamese-American creation that became an instant hit and beloved staple: Vietnamese Garlic Noodles.
Thanh Long, originally an Italian deli, was purchased by Vietnamese immigrant Diana An in 1970. Fearing the ongoing war back home, the An family eventually settled in San Francisco and began introducing Vietnamese flavors to their adopted city. While Thanh Long offered more traditional dishes like roast Dungeness crab, it was their adaptation of familiar ingredients – butter, garlic, and readily available noodles – that truly captured the hearts (and stomachs) of San Franciscans. This mix of Vietnamese and American flavors was a surprise hit, showing how Vietnamese immigrants used what they had to create something new and delicious. It became a permanent part of San Francisco's food scene- leaving a lasting mark on the city's culinary landscape.
The Secret Weapon-
These noodles are loaded with texture and explode with savory flavors. Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth noodles get tossed in a rich, garlicky brown sauce that's both comforting and complex. It's a dish that's deceptively simple to make at home, even though some of the fanciest Vietnamese restaurants proudly feature it on their menus.
And, there's a reason Vietnamese Garlic Noodles are so addictive, and it's not just the savory base of oyster sauce, soy sauce, and fish sauce. The secret lies in the holy trinity of umami – Maggi seasoning, MSG (optional), and garlic salt. These three ingredients work together to elevate the entire dish to a whole new level, replicating the complex flavors found in the original Vietnamese Garlic Noodles, like the ones served at Thanh Long restaurant. Brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness to round out this flavor symphony.
Top 5 Tips for Making the Most Authentic Vietnamese Garlic Noodles:
Noodles Matter! While spaghetti noodles work in a pinch, using chow mein or Shanghai noodles will create a more authentic texture and flavor profile.
Embrace the Umami Bomb! Don't shy away from the fish sauce or Maggi seasoning. They're crucial for achieving that signature Vietnamese depth of flavor.
Garlic is King (or Queen)! Freshly minced garlic is the heart and soul of this dish. Don't be afraid to use a generous amount, but be mindful not to burn it.
The Power of Balance: While the recipe includes a pinch of MSG, it's optional. The key is to taste the sauce as you go and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
Go Forth and Garnish! Fresh scallions, parmesan cheese, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds are all classic garnishes that add a delightful finishing touch.
Craving Chinese egg noodles but only have spaghetti on hand?
No problem! Here's a secret trick to transform your spaghetti into noodles with a more authentic texture. Add a teaspoon of baking soda per quart (of water) to your boiling water, drain and rinse.
This baking soda works its magic by making the water more alkaline, which mimics the environment used to create those springy Chinese egg noodles you love. The result? Spaghetti with a delightful chew, closer to the texture of Hong Kong or Carina's style egg noodles.
If you need any help finding any ingredients for my recipes, you can find links to all my pantry staples / seasonings / kitchen gear as well as photo gear -here-.
All Purpose sauce:
Here's everything you need to create this restaurant-worthy sauce!
Ingredients:
My All-Purpose Sauce:
¼ cup oyster sauce
4 tablespoons fish sauce (start with 3 if you’re hesitant about using fish sauce)
3 tablespoons Maggi seasoning
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Pinch of MSG (optional)
¼ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 cup water
Constarch Slurry:
1 Tbs cornstarch, 1 tbs cold water.
Instructions:
Whisk the Sauce Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, fish sauce, Maggi seasoning, soy sauce, garlic salt, MSG (if using), brown sugar, and sesame oil. Add to a saucepan over medium heat over medium heat until simmering and stir until all sugar and salt has dissolved. Turn off heat and add cornstarch slurry to thicken while stirring and make sure everything is well combined and there are no lumps.
**A note about cornstarch: Mix cornstarch with cold water until smooth. Turn off heat/burner and gradually pour into simmering sauce, stirring constantly to prevent clumps. Simmer/stir until thickened, adjusting consistency as needed with additional slurry. If it clumps, just run it through a sieve/strainer.
Taste, adjust seasonings per taste. Don’t worry if it tastes a little salty, this needs to be quite salty to coat those bland noodles, meat, veggies…
Let cool and bottle it up, lasts about 4-6 weeks in fridge.
Garlic Noodles- Full Recipe:
All purpose sauce (as needed, see recipe above for my all purpose sauce)
Noodles:
½ - ¾ lb chow mein noodles (preferred for authenticity)
OR spaghetti noodles (a good substitute)
3-4 quarts water
Noodle enhancers:
3-5 tbs butter
3-5 cloves of garlic
½ cup scallions, thinly sliced (divided)
¼ - ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (to taste)
Garnish:
Parmesan cheese
Scallions
Sriracha (optional)
Sesame seeds
Noodle Prep:
Bring a large pot water to a boil (no need to salt, these noodles will be doused in umami flavors). Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain the noodles, reserving about a cup of the pasta water.
Garlic / Butter Prep:
Mince the garlic and scallions. Set them aside for later.
Heat a large skillet with a few tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant and slightly golden, about 1-2 minutes.
Building the Flavor:
Reduce the heat to medium and pour in noodles and coat in the butter and garlic.
Add enough of the all-purpose sauce to generously coat all the noodles (don't use all the sauce, this recipe makes enough for multiple servings). Stir constantly until everything is well combined, allowing the sauce to thicken and develop a creamy texture. Toss the noodles until evenly coated. If needed, add a little pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce or to dilute sauce some if it’s a bit salty (no more than a few tbs likely, noodles will continue to absorb sauce after cooking).
Throw in half of the sliced scallions and give it all a toss.
The Grand Finale:
Turn off the heat, drizzle with a teaspoon of sesame oil (optional), sprinkle with about a 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, and toss everything together until smoothly coated.
Plate and garnish your Vietnamese Garlic Noodles with the remaining scallions, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, and an optional drizzle of sriracha around your plate rim (for those who like a kick).
With this easy recipe and a few key tips, you too can make this San Francisco gem!