These fried wheat noodles are coated with a sauce made with Chinese chili oil (made from Sichuan chili flakes simmered with spices such as fennel, star anise, bay leaf, and Chinese cinnamon) and black garlic (which has been heated over a period of weeks to eliminate sharp-tasting compounds and produce an earthy, date-like sweetness). The complex spiciness from the chili oil and subtle, anise-y sweetness from the black garlic combine to produce a delicious, addictive result!
Recipe under the cut.
Patreon | Tip jar
Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS:
For the dish:
7oz (200g) Chinese wheat noodles
3 Tbsp neutral oil
2 leaves cabbage, or other vegetables of your choice, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 yellow onion, chopped
2-3 green onions (scallions), for garnish
For the sauce:
2 bulbs black garlic
1-2 tsp Sichuan chili oil, to taste
1 Tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp neutral oil
1 Tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
pinch sugar (optional)
3 Tbsp water
Chinese or Sichuan chili oil can be found at any East Asian grocery store; you can also make it yourself with dried chilis or chili flakes, vegetable oil, and whole spices. Any kind of Chinese yellow wheat noodles will work; chow mein are best if crispiness is desired. I used lo mein. Even spaghetti will do in a pinch.
INSTRUCTIONS:
For the sauce:
1. Squeeze black garlic into a small bowl and discard the skin. Mash with a fork or whisk until a paste forms.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
For the dish:
1. If your noodles need to be boiled, cook them according to package directions. Drain and toss with a little sesame oil to prevent sticking.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large pan on medium-high until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt and sauté 3-5 minutes, until softened and translucent.
3. Add cabbage and cook for another several minutes, until onions are browned and cabbage is softened. Remove onions and cabbage from pan.
4. Add 2 Tbsp neutral oil to the same pan and heat until shimmering. Fry noodles for several minutes until a shade darker--depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in batches. I use a pair of chopsticks or the corner of a spatula to agitate the noodles occasionally and ensure that they cook evenly.
5. Return cabbage and onions to pan. Add sauce and cook until it has thickened and coats the noodles. Taste and adjust sauce.
Dumplings in Chili Oil Sauce (Pork). Three Fold Noodles + Dumpling Co. Little Rock, Arkansas. 2.6.2024.
NOTE TO SELF: I don't know what I was expecting, but I should admit that I don't like dumplings nearly as much as I like noodles. Same for chili oil sauce versus soup broth. As I was slurping up that sauce I was wondering what it was doing to my insides. (I was fine, but how much chili oil can one stand? Am I supposed to slurp it all? I honestly don't know.) The whole time I was here, I wanted to be at Gold Bowl. Don't get me wrong, this is still good food, but...
Currently my bestselling pattern. Did I think it'd be Chili peppers or any other amigurumi food? Nope!
The idea to come up with a pattern goes to a cousin of mine that lives out west. She wanted snowballs and red chili peppers to hang on her Christmas Tree and asked me if I could make them. At that point in time I stressed because I hadn't made a simple ball, nevermind a chili pepper.
I gotta say though -- I gotta thank her for her faith in me otherwise this pattern wouldn't exist.
You can find it in my Etsy Shop: here
Thank you for supporting my art and content -- and as always, Happy Crocheting!
On a hot Summer day, when the temperature is soaring to 31°C and hotter, this refreshing Cold Cilantro Cantaloupe Soup is delightfully fragrant and cooling! Enjoying it al fresco in the garden, where the cilantro was picked, seems to make it taste even better! Happy Sunday!
Ingredients (serves 2):
1 large, ripe cantaloupe
a small bunch Garden Cilantro
1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt flakes
1 tablespoon Chili and Herb Oil
2 tablespoons good White Port
2 Marigold Flowers
1 tablespoons Chili and Herb Oil
Halve and seed cantaloupe. Scoop about three-quarters of its flesh into a blender. Tear in Cilantro, saving a few leaves for garnish. Season with fleur de sel and Chili and Herb Oil. Process until well-blended and very smooth.
Add White Port and process once more. Pour Cantaloupe Soup into two serving bowls; set aside.
Using an apple corer, make melon balls with remaining cantaloupe.
Garnish Cantaloupe Soup with cantaloupe balls, Marigold Flowers and reserved Cilantro leaves. Chill in the refrigerator, at least a couple of hours.
Serve Cold Cilantro Cantaloupe Soup well-chilled, drizzled with Chili and Herb Oil.
[Okay, I just want to try this broth right off the bat. Oh, it's just heavenly. [ Laughs ] What really I'm digging right now, I just got a little kick of is the chili oil...]