Lightning Fast Sichuan Noodles

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Well, clearly I needed an extra day to recover from Thanksgiving Week because it didn’t even occur to me to post a recipe yesterday. I spent the day trying to get back into a routine, while ignoring the loads of laundry that have accumulated and the fact that it’s time to decorate for the next holiday season. Anyone with college kids who returned home for the holiday, may have seen the viral/classic SNL skit “Back Home Ballers” (if not, click on the link for a treat, as it exemplifies the overall vibe in the nest). Despite, or maybe due to, all of the chaos, it was so great to have a full house and I am already looking forward to the first of my three kids returning home in…13 days?!

With the return to routine, Gary was back to his late night hockey and I got to enjoy a “Girl Dinner”–the odd phrase for a meal one makes for themself?Unlike some people who may opt for cheese and crackers or a bowl of cereal on nights when they are eating dinner alone, I still like to make myself something. It might be leftovers spiced up with a little dollop of some condiment (I’ve already eaten all of the stuffing and cranberry sauce one can reasonably consume) or it might be from scratch, but it’s always something simple, always vegetarian and always eaten from a bowl. Part of the comfort I get from a home cooked meal is cooking it. It’s when I sip on my glass of wine (or these days possibly a sea-water-worthy gin martini), it’s how I unwind and the end result is a gift to myself. If you don’t cook for yourself, I urge (implore?) you to give it a try. You get just what you want and I promise you deserve it.

But back to this recipe from Alexandra Cooks, who very much like me seems to share professional recipes that she may or may not put a little twist on. She was sent the recipe for Quick and Easy Sichuan Noodles from Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street in an email that promised “12 Recipes that (Would) Change The Way I Cook.” A bold statement and I can see why she was intrigued. She tweaked the recipe a bit and I tweaked it further–specifically adjusting it to use a whole pound of pasta as opposed to 12 ounces (my number one recipe pet peeve is using 3/4 of a box of pasta) and in the cooking of the cabbage (the inclusion of which is completely optional, by the way).

Oh and another bonus of cooking for yourself? I know what I am having for lunch today! Enjoy!

Lightning Fast Sichuan Noodles
Print Recipe

Lightning Fast Sichuan Noodles

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 7 Tbs low sodium soy sauce
  • 5 Tbls rice vinegar
  • 1/4 c brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tbs toasted sesame oil
  • 6 Tbs grapeseed or other neutral oil
  • 2 Tbs sesame seeds
  • 2 tsp crushed red chili flakes
  • 12 large scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced on the bias reserved separately
  • 1 lb pasta (udon noodles, lo mein, linguini or spaghetti) I used linguini because that's what I had
  • 1/4-1/2 small cabbage, cored and finely sliced optional
  • 1-2 large carrots, grated optional
  • sriracha, for serving optional

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and sesame oil.
  • In a large skillet over medium, heat the neutral oil, sesame seeds and pepper flakes (use less if you are sensitive to heat) until the pepper flakes are fragrant and the seeds begin to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Off heat, stir in the scallion whites, then add the soy sauce mixture. Set aside.
  • Add the noodles to the boiling salted water and about 4 minutes before they will be done (according to package directions), add your shredded vegetables (if using) to the same pot.
  • Drain the noodles and vegetables into a colander and then transfer the mixture to the skillet with the sauce mixture. Add the scallion greens. Toss to combine. Serve with sriracha on the side, if using.

Notes

As with most anything, this would be delicious topped with a fried egg. Feel free!
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