phuongle19
Creamy, spicy peanut noodles with crispy dumplings are my kind of shortcut dinner. The sauce comes together in one bowl while the knife-cut noodles cook, and frozen dumplings make the whole thing feel like a meal. I finish each bowl with crunchy cucumber, green onions, and, when I have one ready, a jammy egg.
I used knife-cut noodles for their chewy, rustic texture, which pairs especially well with the creamy sauce and crispy dumplings. The rice vinegar gives the sauce a little brightness; a tablespoon of hoisin rounds out that acidity, along with a teaspoon of sugar. There are no chopped peanuts or sesame oil in this version, and the egg is optional.
What you’ll need
Noodles and dumplings
● 6 oz dry knife-cut noodles
● 8–10 frozen dumplings
Creamy peanut chili oil sauce
● 4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
● 1½ tablespoons chili oil or chili crisp, with some of the crunchy bits
● 2 tablespoons soy sauce
● 1½ tablespoons rice vinegar
● 1 teaspoon sugar
● 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
● 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
● About ½ cup hot noodle cooking water, plus more as needed
For serving
● Sliced cucumber
● Chopped green onions
● 1–2 teaspoons additional chili oil, to taste
● 2 jammy eggs, halved (optional)
The noodles and three sauce staples I used: Guanmiao knife-cut noodles, Lao Gan Ma chili crisp, Jif creamy peanut butter, and Lee Kum Kee hoisin sauce.
How to make it
1. Cook the dumplings according to the package directions. Pan-fry or air-fry them if you want a crisp exterior. If using jammy eggs, prepare and peel them before plating.
2. Cook the knife-cut noodles according to the package directions. Because knife-cut noodles can be thick and chewy, cook them until tender but still pleasantly springy. Before draining, reserve at least ¾ cup of the hot cooking water.
3. Mix the sauce. In a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, chili oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, hoisin, and grated garlic. Slowly whisk in about ½ cup hot noodle water until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste it: chili oils and hoisin sauces vary, so adjust with a little more vinegar, soy sauce, or chili oil if needed.
4. Toss the noodles with the sauce. Add the drained noodles to the bowl and toss until coated. Add more hot noodle water, one tablespoon at a time, if the sauce starts to tighten up. It should look slightly looser than you want on the plate because the knife-cut noodles will keep absorbing it.
5. Build the bowls. Divide the noodles between two bowls. Add the dumplings, cucumber, green onions, and optional egg. Finish with a little extra chili oil.
A few tips
● Measure the noodles dry. Six ounces of dry knife-cut noodles plus the dumplings makes two satisfying servings.
● Keep the sauce creamy. Hot noodle water loosens the peanut butter so it coats the noodles. Save extra water in case the noodles sit for a few minutes before serving or filming.
● Watch the noodle texture. Knife-cut noodles are thicker than many packaged wheat noodles, so follow the package timing and taste one before draining. They should be tender and chewy, not mushy.
● Adjust the heat at the end. Start with 1½ tablespoons chili oil in the sauce. A final drizzle gives you those red streaks on the creamy noodles without making the entire bowl overly spicy or oily.
● For a jammy egg: Lower large eggs into boiling water for about 7 minutes, then transfer immediately to ice water. Timing can vary with egg size and starting temperature.
Peanut Chili Oil Noodles with Dumplings
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook the dumplings and knife-cut noodles according to their packages, reserving at least ¾ cup noodle water.
- Whisk peanut butter, chili oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, hoisin, and garlic with about ½ cup hot noodle water until creamy.
- Toss the noodles with the sauce, adding water as needed to keep it loose and glossy.
- Divide between bowls; add dumplings and toppings. Finish with extra chili oil.
