Easy Vegan Chilli Crisp Noodles Recipe

Vegan chilli crisp noodles. I love spicy food and I enjoy quick to prepare food. Asian food often ticks both of those boxes for me, and I frequently find myself turning to a number of quick noodle or rice dishes that can be prepared in less than half an hour.

Speed does not mean loss of flavour or quality, or even that you have to compromise on what ingredients you use. With a few store cupboard essentials, you can always have a delicious and filling meal at hand.

This dish is a particular favourite. It is comforting, in the way that only a bowl of carby noodles can be, and takes just the time the noodles takes to cook to prepare. So thats...10 minutes or less?

Whilst it may be filling, it isn't particularly nutritious, so I do like to serve this with some steamed bok choi or other greens, if I'm feeling particularly virtuous, but sometimes food is just there to give us pure pleasure of the tastebuds and nothing more.

What is Crispy Chilli Oil?

Commonly by the Korean brand name, Lao Gan Ma, crispy chilli oil is a spicy condiment, flavored with fermented soy beans, sichuan peppercorns, onion and chili. It is strongly flavored, and quite spicy so add to this dish to suit your own palate.

Ingredients:

• Noodles. I like to use whole wheat tagliatelle if I can't find egg-free noodles locally, but of course, you could use soba noodles, or rice noodles too.
• Chili Crisp Oil. This really can't be replaced with any other ingredient. Once open, it will keep refrigerated for up to 30 days.
• Peanut Butter or Tahini. This adds a creamy, nutty texture to the sauce. Traditionally, this recipe uses Asian sesame paste, but I found that difficult to source locally.
• Soy Sauce. I like to use the Kikkoman brand. Use Tamari if you are gluten intolerant.
• Sesame Oil. No Asian dish is complete without nutty, aromatic sesame oil.
• Pinch of sugar. Optional but this completes the umami balance of these ingredients. It won't make it taste sweet, just less sour.
• Rice Vinegar. Sharpens up the richness of the oily sauce.
• Spring Onions or scallions. These add freshness and more flavour to the final dish.

Method

So easy.

• Boil your noodles in accordance with manufacturers instructions. Drain.
• Whilst the noodles are cooking, make your sauce. This is a no-cook sauce. The heat from the noodles warm it through.
• In a small bowl, whisk together all the other ingredients except for the sugar and spring onions.
• Taste for seasoning and add sugar if you feel you need it. Add more chili oil too if you like.
• Divide the cooked noodles between two bowls and pour the sauce over them.
• Gently mix through using chopsticks or two forks.
• Sprinkle with spring onions and serve!

Try my other easy vegan supper dishes:

• Easy and Delicious Cajun Tacos
• Macanese Minchi (potato and mince hash)
• Quick and Easy Tofu Bowl
• Comforting vegan Shepherds Pie
• Sag Aloo
• Matsunomi-No-Cha-Han Japanese Brown Fried Rice
• Easy Vegan Mushroom Rice