🥘 Ingredients
- scallions 4
- garlic cloves 4
- fresh udon noodles OR dried udon noodles 8 oz
- neutral-flavored oil of choice 1 ½ tbsp
- Chinese light soy sauce or regular soy sauce or tamari 2 tbsp
- rice vinegar 1 tbsp
- organic brown sugar or cane sugar 2 tsp
- ground white pepper ¼ tsp
- Heaping creamy peanut butter 0.33 cup
- hot water 3-5.33 tbsp
- roasted peanuts or cashews ½ cup
- red bell pepper thinly sliced OR Persian cucumber 8 oz
- Chinese chili crisp
📝
Use the lower amount of water for fresh noodles; use the higher amount for dried noodles. Chances are you will love this dish so much that you’ll want to make it again. Double the peanut sauce and you can make this dish later in the week at lightning speed. Storage: Store leftovers in a container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Leftovers will thicken when chilled because of the nut butter-based sauce. Storage: If desired, warm up the noodles and add a splash of water to thin the sauce out. For extra flavor, freshen up with a squeeze of lime juice or rice vinegar, plus a dollop of Chinese chili crisp. Nutrition boost: For a protein boost, add store-bought or homemade baked tofu, air fried tofu, or ~8 oz of edamame.
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1Gather: scallions , garlic cloves , fresh udon noodles OR dried udon noodles , neutral-flavored oil of choice , Chinese light soy sauce or regular soy sauce or tamari , rice vinegar , organic brown sugar or cane sugar , ground white pepper , Heaping creamy peanut butter , hot water , roasted peanuts or cashews , red bell pepper thinly sliced OR Persian cucumber . For the for serving: Chinese chili crisp .
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2If you’re making the Baked Tofu, start by pressing and prepping the tofu. Make the peanut noodles while the tofu bakes.
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3Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil for the noodles.
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4While the water comes to a bowl, prep the scallions and garlic. Scallions: Trim the roots and any bruised tops. Slice the scallions thinly on a bias. Add to a bowl of cold water and soak for timer minutes or until done prepping (this mellows out the raw onion taste). Drain scallions and pat dry. Garlic: Grate the garlic, finely mince, or use a garlic press. Add garlic to a small bowl.
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5Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain, then rinse under cold water to bring to room temp. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl.
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6Sizzle the garlic: Heat the neutral oil in your smallest saucepan over medium-high heat for at least 3 minutes, or until very hot (if you have a thermometer, it should register at 350ºF / 175ºC).
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7Pour the hot oil over the garlic and allow to sizzle. Rest for 1 minutes , then stir in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and white pepper.
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8Mix the peanut sauce: If using fresh udon, measure out 3 tbsp of hot water. If using dried udon, measure out 1/3 cup. In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and hot water until it’s loosened. Add in the soy sauce-garlic mixture and whisk until smooth. The sauce will be quite thin at this point, but it will thicken as it coats the noodles.
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9Pour the peanut sauce on the noodles, tossing to coat the noodles well with tongs. If it feels too thick or tacky, add 1-2 tbsp of hot water. Stir in the drained scallions, chopped peanuts, and veggie of choice. Taste, adding a splash of soy sauce or rice vinegar, if desired. Fold in Baked Tofu, if using.
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10Top each serving with a bit of chili crisp.