Shrine Kitchen

Mindful Home Cooking

Cat Ear Noodles

Cat ear noodles, or simply ‘cat ears'(貓耳朵 mao er duo), are a type of noodles so named because their shape resembles cat ears. They are one of many types of noodles from Jin cuisine of northern China.

The cat ear shape is made by pressing a piece of dough with the back of a chopstick or with a finger so it curls into a curved or cupped shape.

Cat ear noodles are normally boiled in plain water first, then drained and added to other ingredients. They can also be cooked directly in broth and served as a soup.

The recipe below uses mushroom and vegetables in a flavorful broth. Common additions to soup cat ear noodles include pickled radish greens(雪裡蕻), tofu, cabbage, bok choy, bean sprouts, kelp, tomato, egg, and black fungus or wood ear fungus(黑木耳). Feel free to add or substitute seasonal and on-hand ingredients in this versatile dish.

uncooked cat ear noodles
cat ear noodles
cat ear noodles

Cat Ear Noodles(貓耳朵) Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cup all-purpose wheat flour
  • ½ tsp salt (optional)
  • ¾ cup water

Directions

  • combine flour, salt
  • gradually add water until combined into dough
  • rest dough 1 to 5 minutes
  • knead dough
  • rest dough 15 to 30 minutes
  • roll until about ½ inch thick
  • cut into squares
  • press each square so it curls into a cupped shape
  • when ready to use, boil 2 to 5 minutes and drain or add directly to broth

Soup Cat Ear Noodles(湯貓耳朵) Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 scallion, minced
  • 4 fresh or rehydrated shiitake(香菇) or other mushroom, chopped
  • ¼ cabbage or other greens
  • firm tofu, finely cubed (optional)
  • 1 cup bean sprout (optional)
  • 1 – 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp mature rice vinegar(陳醋)
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce(生抽)
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce(老抽)
  • 2 cup shiitake stock or other stock or water
  • cat ear noodles(貓耳朵)
  • chives(韭菜), chopped (optional)
  • 1 tsp sichuan peppercorn powder(花椒粉) (optional)

Directions

  • saute garlic, scallion
  • add shiitake, cabbage, bean sprout
  • add salt, vinegar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce
  • add stock or water
  • simmer
  • add cat ear noodles
  • simmer until cooked, 1 to 5 minutes
  • add chives, sichuan peppercorn powder
  • serve