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Chinese Chili and Scallion Noodles
Every cook needs a few back-pocket recipes that can be thrown together quickly from pantry staples. Think spaghetti carbonara, the Italian pasta dish of bacon and eggs. Or Fuchsia Dunlop’s game-changing “midnight noodles,” a fresh spin on a Chinese staple. The simple sauce comes together in the time it takes the noodles to cook. Our version swaps out some of the hard-to-find Chinese ingredients and creates a simple chili oil that can be adjusted to taste. We cooked scallion whites in the hot oil to soften their bite and used the milder green parts to add brightness at the end. While we preferred udon noodles, chewy Chinese wheat noodles such as lo mein were fine substitutes. Even spaghetti worked in a pinch. These noodles also are great topped with a fried egg.
4
Servings
Don’t walk away while heating the oil. The sesame seeds can burn in an instant, and the red pepper flakes will blacken and become bitter. The seeds should be just turning golden, and the pepper should be pleasantly fragrant.
40 minutes
20 minutes active
Ingredients
-
12
ounces udon noodles, lo mein or spaghetti
-
5
tablespoons soy sauce
Directions
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01Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until al dente, then drain. Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and sesame oil.
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GET DIGITAL & PRINTThe print version says to use "12 scallions", not "12 BUNCHES" as it says here. I've made the print version and it was delicious. This version seems a bit.....extra?
I needed to use up some shrimp, so I dipped them into the soy sauce mixture and then cooked them on a grill pan, and served on top of the udon noodles, with some garlicky greens on the side. Quick, easy and good! Next time, I'll cut back on the oil a little-my sauce was a little looser than I would have preferred.
This is so easy to make. Delicious! Added fried egg and vegetables on the side for a complete meal.