Description
A quick and flavorful Asian-inspired noodle dish combining spicy chili, fresh cilantro, and tangy lime, perfect for a vibrant 10-minute meal that balances heat and zest with a rich sesame undertone.
Ingredients
Noodles
- 2 cakes knife-cut noodles
Sauce & Aromatics
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- pinch hing (asafoetida) or substitute garlic powder
- 1 tbsp vegan oyster sauce
- 1 tsp agave syrup
- 1/4 cup reserved noodle water
Garnishes
- More chopped cilantro
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Chili sesame oil
Instructions
- Cook the noodles: Boil the knife-cut noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.
- Prepare chili-cilantro oil: Combine the red pepper flakes with the chopped cilantro in a bowl. Heat the sesame oil over medium flame for 2-3 minutes until hot but not smoking to release its aroma.
- Mix the oil and spices: Carefully pour the heated sesame oil over the chili-cilantro mixture and stir well to infuse the flavors.
- Make the sauce: Add lime juice, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, hing or garlic powder, vegan oyster sauce, agave syrup, and the reserved noodle water to the chili-cilantro oil mixture. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients into a cohesive sauce.
- Combine with noodles: Pour the sauce over the cooked noodles and mix well to ensure the noodles are evenly coated with the flavorful sauce.
- Garnish and serve: Top the noodles with additional chopped cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, and a drizzle of chili sesame oil. Gently heat the entire dish if desired before serving to enhance flavors.
Notes
- Be careful not to burn the sesame oil when heating as it can become bitter.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control the spiciness to your preference.
- Reserve some noodle water to thin the sauce and help it cling to the noodles well.
- Hing can be substituted with garlic powder if unavailable.
- This recipe is vegan and can easily be adapted for gluten-free by using gluten-free soy sauce and noodles.
