Visit any fair or carnival in Hawaii and the longest line is often at the fried noodle booth. Fried noodles are a beloved favorite; dressed in a flavorful sauce, they are filled with fresh vegetables and or meat, and hot from the wok, irresistible. Fried noodle recipes are varied and it is not a stretch to imagine that every household on the island has their favorite. This is my interpretation of fried noodles, including two ingredients I have been using a lot lately, tamarind paste and kochujang. I’ve found that tamarind paste adds a sour-sweet note that enhances soy based sauces. Kochujang adds heat, but in a rich, earthy way. It may seem like there are many vegetables in proportion to the noodles, but they cook down quite a bit, while the noodles seem to expand, as they are heated and loosened. I did not include meat, although feel free to add 8 ounces of lean chicken or pork if desired. A note on traditional fried noodles: One ingredient that you will usually find in Hawaiian fried noodles is kamaboko, the pink and white fishcake. I have never cared for kamaboko and so left it out (subbed matchsticks of French breakfast radishes). However, if you are a fishcake fan, by all means, add it in. This can also be made vegetarian by replacing the fish sauce with more tamari - start with 1/2 teaspoon more tamari and add to taste.

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