Chinese-Style Peanut Noodles Recipe

Chinese-Style Peanut Noodles Recipe

Ingredients

Makes 4 To 6 Servings

• 1½ cups peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 good-sized clove)
• 4 cups boiling water
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• ½ cup (packed) brown sugar (light or dark)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• up to 1 teaspoon salt (plus more for the pasta water)
• 1 pound angel hair pasta red pepper flakes

Method

1. Put the peanut butter and garlic in a large bowl
2. Add about 2 cups of the boiling water, and mash with the back of a large spoon to help the peanut butter start softening
3. As it softens, switch from the spoon to a whisk, and gently whisk as you slowly pour in the remaining 2 cups of boiling water
4. When the peanut butter and the water have become uniformly mixed, stir in the vinegar, brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons of the soy sauce
5. Taste the mixture to see if it needs more soy sauce (different brands have varying salt contents), and add more if you like
6. Also add some salt to taste, beginning with ¼ teaspoon and possibly adding up to a full teaspoon if it seems to need it
7. Set the sauce aside
8. You can make this sauce up to a week ahead of time and store it, covered, in the refrigerator
9. If you do, warm it in the microwave, or in a saucepan over low heat, before using
10. Put a large pot of cold water to boil over high heat, and add a tablespoon of salt
11. Place a large colander in the sink
12. When the water boils, add the pasta, keeping the heat high
13. Cook for the amount of time recommended on the package, tasting the pasta toward the end of the suggested time to be sure it is not getting overcooked
14. When it is just tender enough to bite into comfortably but not yet mushy, dump the water-plus-pasta into the colander
15. Shake to mostly drain (it’s okay to leave some water clinging), and transfer the pasta to the bowl of sauce
16. Use a fork or tongs to gently mix the noodles into the sauce, using a lifting motion as you turn the bowl
17. Serve right away, topped with a scattering of red pepper flakes

Full List of Chinese Recipes
Full List of Noodles Recipes