Everyone has a vice that gets them through the winter months, whether that be pumpkin spice lattes, chai, a favorite scarf or a partridge in a pear tree, you know the stuff. For me, I especially lean into the spice factor when I feel that winter chill in the air. Aside from what the science tells us about how spice helps release endorphins generating feelings of euphoria and all that, I just love having the excuse to sit in a catatonic state, tongue burning, not wrapped in a blanket for once, staring blankly at the TV screen as Kevin McCallister nearly kills those poor robbers yet again. Of course, you can’t always consume spice in the same recipes, and a certain level of invention is required to keep things interesting. That’s how I ended up with this fiery-peanut noodle recipe.
Next time you’re looking for a cozy winter meal, look no further than these spicy peanut noodles.
Now, I always see recipes online for Thai peanut noodles, but they typically lack the chili that I require. On a particular evening this week, when studying for midterms gnawed away at me and I needed some respite from my thoughts, I found myself in the kitchen thinking about peanut noodles, but wanting them to go above and beyond. Half an hour later, the milk carton was empty, all the windows were opened and two empty plates lay on the table — I knew I had found something special.
I have to warn you, this recipe is not for the faint of tongue, stomach or heart. These noodles will take everything you’ve got, and then some, a spice so intense that you will leave a different person … but of course, it doesn’t have to be that way! You can certainly tone down the spiciness to adjust for yourself, but if not, my recipe is perfect for you!
Fiery-peanut noodles recipe
Yield: 2-3 servings
Duration: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
– 3 tablespoons soy sauce (light or dark, depending on your flavor preference; go dark for a bolder flavor)
– 3 cloves garlic, minced
– ½ teaspoon ginger (optional)
– 2 tablespoons peanut butter (go above and beyond)
– 2 tablespoons red chili powder
– 2 Thai chili peppers, minced
– 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
– Your choice of noodle (make 1-2 servings based on packaging instructions)
– A handful of toasted peanuts
– 2 tablespoons sesame oil
– 1 spring onion, sliced (to top)
Instructions:
- In a small pan, heat your sesame oil.
- In another pan, prepare your noodles as required by package instructions.
- Meanwhile, mix minced garlic, ginger, red chili powder, green chiles and peanuts in a large bowl.
- Add heated sesame oil to the bowl, let sizzle and then mix.
- Add soy sauce, rice vinegar and peanut butter, mixing ingredients together well.
- Add noodles, with a splash of noodle water and mix thoroughly.
- Top with peanuts and sliced spring onions.
- Enjoy!
Again, to control the spice level, you can certainly remove certain ingredients, particularly the green chiles. I added them out of habit, a flavor I became accustomed to growing up; I cannot have certain dishes without at least two green chiles by my side. That’s the beauty of this dish, like many recipes I have shared with you: it is customizable and holds a lot of room for additions and omissions in the recipe. But, if you dare, I say make it the way I have written above, and let’s see how far you get before all hell breaks loose. Cheers, and hope this recipe brings the heat to your winter season!
A version of this article appeared on p. 12 of the Nov. 14, 2024 edition of the Daily Nexus.
