Deconstructed Wonton Skin Chili Oil Ribbon Noodles

This is the recipe that broke the internet. A brilliantly simple home cook hack that takes a stack of extra thin wonton skins, cuts them into wide ribbons, and transforms them in under two minutes into the most incredibly silky, slippery, wide flat noodles you have ever eaten. No pasta machine, no kneading, no resting dough. Just a sharp knife, a pot of boiling water, and sixty seconds standing between you and a bowl of noodles so good that people who try this recipe genuinely cannot believe how easy it was. Tossed in a fiery, tangy chili oil dressing that clings to the ultra-thin sheets better than any regular noodle could, this is fast food in the most gloriously elevated sense of the term. Here at Yunion, our extra thin wonton skins were practically designed for this viral hack.

Serves: 2 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

For the ribbon noodles:

• 1 packet Yunion Thin Wonton Skins

• Lightly dust with cornflour to prevent sticking while cutting

  
  

For the chili oil dressing:

• 3 tbsp chili oil with sediment, the kind with the crunchy chili flakes at the bottom of the jar

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce

• 1 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tsp sugar

• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated

  
  

To serve:

• 3 spring onions, finely sliced

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

• Fresh coriander leaves

• Extra chili oil to taste

• Cucumber, julienned, optional

• Soft boiled egg, halved, optional

  
  

Method

• Stack the Yunion thin wonton skins into a neat pile of about 10 to 12 skins at a time. Dust lightly with cornflour between every few layers to prevent them from sticking together during cutting.

• Using a sharp knife, cut the stack of skins into wide ribbons approximately 2 to 3cm wide. You can cut them in half for shorter ribbons or into thirds for longer ones depending on your preference. Gently separate the cut ribbons with your fingers and set aside in a loose pile on a lightly floured surface.

• Mix all dressing ingredients together in a large serving bowl and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Set aside.

• Bring a large pot of water to a full rolling boil. Have a bowl of cold water ready alongside the pot before you start cooking.

• Drop the ribbon noodles into the boiling water. Cook for exactly 60 to 90 seconds only. Because the skins are extra thin they transform into silky, wide noodles almost instantly. Watch them carefully — overcooking by even 30 seconds makes them too soft and fragile to toss.

• Drain immediately and transfer straight into the bowl of cold water. Swish gently to stop the cooking process completely and prevent the ribbons from clumping together. Drain thoroughly and shake off all excess water.

• Transfer the cold ribbon noodles directly into the bowl with the chili oil dressing. Toss gently but thoroughly until every ribbon is evenly coated in the glossy, fiery dressing.

• Top with spring onions, toasted sesame seeds, fresh coriander, and any optional additions. Add an extra drizzle of chili oil if you like more heat.

• Serve immediately at room temperature.

  
  

Tips

• Using chili oil with sediment rather than a clear chili oil makes an enormous difference to this dish. The crunchy, toasted chili flakes and garlic bits that sink to the bottom of a good chili oil jar are packed with flavour and add a wonderful textural contrast to the silky ribbon noodles. Give the jar a good stir before measuring to make sure you get plenty of that precious sediment.

• The cold water shock after cooking is not optional. It stops the cooking process instantly, removes excess surface starch that would make the ribbons clump together, and gives the noodles a firm, slightly springy texture that holds up beautifully when tossed in the dressing.

• Chinkiang black vinegar is what gives this dressing its characteristic tangy depth. It has a complex, slightly smoky, malt-like flavour that rice vinegar cannot replicate. It's widely available at Asian grocery stores across Perth and is one of those pantry ingredients that once you have it, you'll reach for constantly.

  
  

Find Yunion Near You

Our full range of fresh noodles is available at select supermarkets and Asian grocery stores across Perth. Find your nearest stockist and make your next family gathering one to remember.