Good Luck Noodles Recipe

Make the soy-ginger consommé

In a medium saucepan, combine chicken stock and water and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Add sliced ginger, smashed garlic, white parts of the green onions, star anise and the optional dried shiitake to the pot. Lower heat to maintain a bare simmer and cook gently for 20 minutes to infuse aromatics.

After 20 minutes, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot. Discard solids and return liquid to the stove over low heat.

Stir in light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, mirin, kosher salt and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning so consommé is savory with a clean ginger note. Keep hot but do not boil.

Cook the fresh lo mein

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the handmade lo mein and cook 1–2 minutes until tender but still slightly chewy (fresh noodles cook quickly). Drain and rinse briefly under warm water to remove excess starch and keep noodles pliable. Toss with 1 tsp sesame oil to prevent sticking.

Prepare the marinade: in a bowl combine hoisin, char siu sauce (or red fermented tofu), light soy, honey, Shaoxing wine, minced garlic, five-spice powder and sesame oil. Whisk until smooth.

Place pork belly in a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Pour marinade over pork, coating all sides. Marinate at least 2 hours or up to overnight in the refrigerator for best flavor.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove pork from marinade, reserving marinade. Heat neutral oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear pork belly on all sides until nicely browned, about 2 minutes per side.

Place seared pork belly on a small roasting rack or baking dish. Brush with some reserved marinade. Roast in the oven until pork is tender and caramelized at edges, about 25–30 minutes, turning and basting once with remaining marinade halfway through. Internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C) for safety and tenderness.

Once cooked, let pork rest 5–10 minutes. Slice thinly into bite-size pieces or ribbons. If desired, briefly sear slices in a hot pan for 30–45 seconds to re-caramelize edges before plating.

Soft-boil quail eggs: bring a small pot of water to a gentle boil. Carefully lower quail eggs and boil for 2 minutes for a jammy yolk. Immediately transfer eggs to an ice bath to stop cooking. Peel carefully and set aside.

Prepare garnishes: toss bean sprouts with a pinch of salt and a few drops of sesame oil. Thinly slice scallion greens and set aside. If using pickled mustard greens, rinse lightly and slice thinly.

Reheat consommé to a near-simmer. Place warmed noodles in shallow bowls (divide the 12 oz across 4 servings). Arrange sliced char siu pork belly over the noodles (approximately 4 oz pork per serving if making 4 servings).

Ladle hot soy-ginger consommé over the noodles just to cover the base, creating a glossy broth around the noodles rather than drowning them (about 1 cup broth per bowl).

Top each bowl with 1–2 peeled quail eggs halved, a small handful of bean sprouts, sliced scallions, a spoonful of pickled mustard greens if using, and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle a little chili oil on top if desired.

Serve immediately while broth is hot and noodles are tender. Provide extra soy sauce or chili oil at the table.