Spicy Peanut Noodles

Today I'm going to share one of my favorite recipes. You'll have to excuse the terminology... I don't typically measure things that I make, so you'll have to guess. I'll give you an idea of what amount it is, but it's all pretty much a guessing game. It's more fun that way!

I like Asian food. I like spicy food. And I like peanut butter. So a combination of those things would be spicy peanut noodles. 


Obviously this noodle dish is ideal with stir fried veggies... carrots, peppers, pea pods, cabbage, peas, broccoli, etc... but I haven't been able to get to the grocery store yet (wife fail), which means I have no fresh veggies awaiting consumption.

So I just made the noodles.


These are the ingredients you will need:

crushed red pepper flakes

rice vinegar

seseme seed oil

peanut butter

onion

garlic

chicken flavoring cube

ginger 

...fresh things are always better, hence the ginger. I didn't have any of my own chicken stock made, so I used a cube. 

Oh, and you'll need water. Obviously. And these:

Lo mein noodles. Mmm. you could use spaghetti noodles if you wanted... but it's just not the same.

---

First, put water into a medium pot for your noodles and turn it on high to get it to a boil. Put a little bit of oil (1 tablespoon?) and the chopped garlic, grated ginger and red pepper flakes into a small saucepan... here's where your preference comes into play... like spicy? add a lot of red pepper flakes. Don't like spicy so much? don't add very many red pepper flakes. Cook all that goodness until they get a little brown. 

While they are cooking (hurry, it doesn't take long), put about 1 cup of hot water into a bowl/big measuring cup and add a scoop or two of peanut butter. Whisk them together. Add a little rice vinegar for flavor, and whisk again.

 [Whisk, whisk, whisk]

Once your seasonings are browned a little bit, like this, add a tiny bit of the peanut butter mixture and stir it. Slowly add the rest, while whisking. Cook it until it thickens. 

By now, your water should be boiling:

...but don't watch it, because then it won't boil. Or so they say.

Then take your fun lo mein noodles... that look like really thin pieces of wood...

[just a fun shot for photography purposes...]

and throw 'em in your boiling water. I broke mine in half first, because my pot is a little on the smaller side. And they are easier to eat post-cooking. 

[...hi noodlies! ]

Then go and snap a few pictures of your adorable 4 month old who is watching curiously from his highchair. Notice the thumb. It's a recent discovery. I'm not going to encourage it, but it's not a battle I'm going to fight, either. 

HI RYAN!

...isn't he cute?!

After 7-8 minutes, your noodles are probably done:

Drain them and put them back in your pan. Then add your peanut butter mixture. A little if you just want them coated... or a lot, if you want them... really coated.

Stir, stir, stir.

 The finished product?

Ta da!

Now just think of how much more colorful and delicious it would be it was a bed for layer of crisp, stir fried veggies... and topped with some cilantro and lime. MMMM.