The lasting power of longevity noodles — many family recipes and one timeless wish

Lara Buchar | CBC Life | Posted: November 27, 2024 5:56 PM | Last Updated: November 27

After my grandma died, I set out to recreate yi mein, the dish she lovingly prepared every year on my birthday

Image | longevity noodles

Caption: (Illustration by Kitty N. Wong)

Some kids grow up looking forward to their birthday cake all year long. But for me, birthdays were all about noodles — specifically, my grandma's signature yi mein.

Every year, she'd come over with a heaping casserole dish of bouncy, lightly golden noodles topped with thinly sliced braised beef shank, soy eggs, shiitake mushrooms, napa cabbage and a generous sprinkling of cilantro. Then, my family would gather around the dining table and compete to see who could pull the longest noodle from our bowls, always making for a lively and laughter-filled tradition.

In Chinese culture, birthday noodles — also called longevity or long-life noodles — are more than a meal. They're a wish. The belief is simple: long, unbroken noodles symbolize a long life. I've always considered eating them the Chinese equivalent of blowing out the candles on your cake, but in this version, the family member who prepares the noodles makes the loving wish for you.

As a biracial second-generation immigrant, food has always been one of the strongest connections I have to my Chinese heritage. While I may not speak Mandarin or Cantonese, I can place a mean dim sum order. But when my grandmother passed away, I began to worry that this connection might fade, and I've been faithfully trying to recreate her recipes ever since.

Mastering her yi mein, however, proved to be no easy task. So, being a diligent student, I set out to learn everything I could on the subject to better my birthday noodle–making abilities — including their history.

Like many food traditions, the origin of longevity noodles isn't neatly defined. One popular story traces them back to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, who ruled from 141–87 BCE. Legend has it that he started the custom after hearing that having a long face meant a person would live a long life. Since he couldn't change his face, he opted to eat long noodles — the Chinese words for noodle and face being homophones.

Modern food historians dismiss this tale as folklore but concede it has become so widely accepted that it's contributed to the undying popularity of longevity noodles in Chinese culture, however they might be prepared.

Most families have their own unique recipe, usually passed down through generations, though the dish often includes auspicious ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, which also symbolize longevity. This is why they're also traditionally served at Lunar New Year, a time when symbolic foods are enjoyed to usher in a prosperous new year. Kitty Wong, the Hong Kong–based artist behind this story's illustration, told me, "I have very nostalgic memories of when my grandma was alive, when we went for … Chinese New Year dinners and we would have the longevity noodles together."

But as I learned more about longevity noodles, I was comforted to discover that the meaning behind the dish seems to matter more than the ingredients themselves. As Seattle-based cookbook author and award-winning food journalist Hsiao-Ching Chou told me, "There is flexibility, even with traditions."

Chou's forthcoming cookbook, Feasts of Good Fortune, co-authored with her teenage daughter, Meilee Chou Riddle, includes two recipes for longevity noodles (you can try one for yourself below). The book celebrates the passing down of Chinese traditions but also encourages the creation of new ones by offering menu inspiration for Chinese American takes on everything from Lunar New Year to Thanksgiving.

"Part of the message that we want to send in the book," said Chou, "is that you have to be able to adapt to what's available to you, wherever you are, and it's not always a specific type of Chinese noodle that is available."

Toronto-based chef Eva Chin echoed this sentiment. "My dad didn't really like the long noodles … he actually preferred spaghetti," she said. "So I grew up with fusion spaghetti where my mom would make black pepper beef [and] lobster fried with spaghetti in the wok for my dad's birthday."

Today, Chin puts her own spin on longevity noodles on the rotating menu at her popular neo-Chinese tasting experience, Yan Dining Room (which operates out of Toronto institution Hong Shing).

Chin is a proponent of making your own noodles from scratch. She uses a recipe her grandmother passed down to her for a Shanghainese yang chun–style noodle made with water, flour and sesame oil. Her advice? Use a "long and wide surface, preferably wooden. It's the best surface for making noodles." Although her grandmother rolled her noodles out with a rolling pin, Chin uses a pasta roller — yet another subtle riff on tradition.

When I first set out to make birthday noodles, I was clinging to the idea that there was only one "right" way to prepare them. While my grandmother's recipe will always hold a precious place in my heart — and stomach — it's invigorating to be reminded that taking inspiration from tradition is just as valuable as recreating it. "At the end of the day, it really is just about the expression of this wish for long life," said Chou.

As for me? This year, I'll be putting my own stamp on our family tradition and making birthday noodles from scratch in my pasta roller. I think my grandma would be proud.

Stir-Fried Long-Life Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables

By Hsiao-Ching Chou and Meilee Chou Riddle

Eating noodles on your birthday comes with a wish for a long life. So it's important that you never cut or break the noodles. If you ever make noodles from scratch, you can pull or roll out extra-long noodles. There's flexibility to the vegetables, protein and sauce flavours you can use, so feel free to riff on this basic recipe.

Ingredients

8 oz chicken breast
3 tbsp soy sauce, divided
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
12 oz dried Chinese noodles
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 green onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
½ cup julienned carrots
½ cup mushrooms, such as shimeji or enoki, segmented
3 cups sliced greens, such as baby bok choy or Chinese cabbage
½ tsp sesame oil
Kosher salt, if needed

Preparation

Cut the chicken breast lengthwise into two to three strips, about 1½ inches wide, or about the size of chicken tenders. Then slice each strip of chicken crosswise into slivers. The exact size of the slivers is not as important as keeping the pieces relatively uniform. In a small bowl, combine the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and mix well. Add the cornstarch and mix well again.

Preheat a wok over high heat until wisps of smoke rise from the surface. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and heat until it starts to shimmer. Add the chicken and, using a spatula, quickly spread it into a single layer in the bowl of the wok. After about 15 seconds, stir-fry the chicken for about 1 more minute, or until it is nearly cooked through. Remove the wok from the heat, transfer the chicken to a small bowl, and set aside. Rinse the wok and dry with a towel.

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook for 9 to 11 minutes, or until they are soft but not mushy. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the noodles. Check the instructions on the package for reference. When the noodles are done, drain them and set aside.

While the noodles cook, prepare the sauce ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, water, hoisin sauce, ginger, green onions and garlic. Stir to combine and set aside.

Preheat a wok over high heat until wisps of smoke rise from the surface. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and heat for a few seconds until it starts to shimmer. Add the carrots, mushrooms, and greens. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, or until the crisp vegetables begin to soften. Add the chicken and stir to combine. Add the noodles and the sauce and stir to combine. You may need to use a pair of tongs and the wok spatula to help manoeuvre the noodles. If the sauce looks like it's cooking down too fast, reduce the heat to medium. Continue to toss ingredients together to make sure the sauce coats the noodles. Drizzle with the sesame oil. Turn off the heat. Taste a bite of noodles. If needed, add salt to taste and toss again. Transfer to a serving dish.

Note: This dish works for a lot of personal preferences. You can use any protein or use tofu and keep it vegetarian. You can make it spicy by adding hot sauce or chili crisp. You can add a handful of fresh bean sprouts at the end to add some crunch.

Serves 4

Recipe excerpted from Feasts of Good Fortune by Hsiao-Ching Chou and Meilee Chou Riddle. Copyright © 2024 Hsiao-Ching Chou and Meilee Chou Riddle. Photography by Clare Barboza. Published by Sasquatch Books, a division of Penguin Random House. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

Lara Buchar is a freelance writer, editor and recipe developer. Her work has appeared in the Toronto Star, The Kit, Food Network Canada, HGTV Canada, Girlboss and many other publications. When she's not testing out a new recipe or food trend, you can find her taking her dog Boba out for a leisurely stroll, bubble tea in hand.

Kitty N. Wong is an award-winning illustrator based in Hong Kong whose childhood was split between Asia and a small Canadian town. Her vibrant, nostalgic illustrations celebrate the playful world of food. She has worked with top global brands, and her art has appeared in books, magazines and exhibitions worldwide. When not painting, she enjoys hiking, puzzles and caring for her plants.