Cold Noodles With Chile Oil and Citrusy Cabbage
Updated Aug. 8, 2023
- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ½cup canola or grapeseed oil
- 1tablespoon fennel seed
- 1tablespoon red-pepper flakes
- 2garlic cloves, very finely chopped
- 1tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
- 1star anise (optional)
- 1pound udon, soba or rice noodles, or spaghetti
- 2tablespoons rice wine vinegar, or fresh lemon or lime juice
- Kosher salt and ground pepper
- ½head red cabbage, very thinly sliced
- Kosher salt and ground pepper
- ¼cup fresh lemon or lime juice, or both
- 1tablespoon finely grated lemon or lime zest, or both
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- ⅓cup tahini
- 1garlic clove, finely grated
- 2tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
- 1tablespoon sesame oil
- 1cup parsley or cilantro, or both, tender leaves and stems, very finely chopped
- Kosher salt and ground pepper
- 1bunch scallions, very thinly sliced
- ¼cup olive oil
- 2tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
- 1tablespoon finely grated lemon or lime zest
- 1tablespoon soy sauce
- Kosher salt and ground pepper
For the Noodles
For the Citrusy Cabbage (optional)
For the Herby Tahini Sauce (optional)
For the Lemony Scallions (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
718 calories; 43 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 19 grams polyunsaturated fat; 73 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 15 grams protein; 601 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oil, fennel seed, pepper flakes, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns and star anise (if using) in a small pot over the lowest heat possible. Cook, swirling occasionally, until you start to hear and see the garlic and spices frizzle and toast in the oil, 5 to 8 minutes. (Every stove is different and sometimes the low isn’t as low as we’d like, so keep an eye on things; it may take less time.) Keep cooking at the lowest heat setting until the spices are toasted and the garlic is golden brown, another 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, cook noodles in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. (If not using right away, spread onto a rimmed baking sheet and toss with a little canola oil to prevent sticking.)
- Step 3
If serving the citrusy cabbage, place cabbage in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add citrus juice and zest, tossing to coat. Let sit a few minutes to soften. Drizzle with olive oil before serving.
- Step 4
If serving the tahini sauce, whisk tahini, garlic, lemon juice, sesame oil and ¼ cup water in a small bowl until a creamy dressing forms. (Tahini thickness varies greatly from brand to brand; if you need more water to achieve a smooth, creamy dressing, add it by the teaspoonful until you get the desired texture.) Add herbs and season with salt, pepper and more lemon juice, if desired. Alternatively, place all ingredients and ¼ cup water in the bowl of a food processor and process until a smooth, creamy dressing forms.
- Step 5
If serving the lemony scallions, combine scallions, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and soy sauce in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper and let sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.
- Step 6
When ready to eat, toss noodles with vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Spoon chile oil over the noodles, tossing to coat; keep adding the oil until your noodles are evenly coated. (Keep in mind you have other sauces for the noodles, so you’re just looking for them to be coated and sufficiently spicy.) Serve any additional chile oil alongside for personal spooning, with the cabbage and other sauces if you like. See Tip for adding more spicy things and blanched or roasted vegetables.
- Here are a few other things to set out to add more to the meal. More spicy things: Jarred pickled chiles, pickled jalapeños, Calabrian chiles — anything of the sort that will (lightly) set your mouth on fire are welcomed here. Blanched or roasted vegetables with garlic: Toss blanched or roasted vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower or carrots with a bit of finely chopped raw garlic and a squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar. This is a perfect use for any leftover vegetables in the fridge. Greenery: A plate of springy herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, dill or mint (or both) to nibble on between bites of noodles, or a pile of sautéed greens like spinach, kale, Swiss chard or mustard greens to tangle into the noodles. Toasted seeds or nuts: Toast sesame seeds, chopped peanuts or almonds in a dry skillet until golden brown and toss with a little oil and salt; sprinkle over everything.
Private Notes
Comments
Sounds wonderful. But let's get real. With about 20 ingredients to assemble, measure (or approximate), and process for the "anchor," this hardly seems like a dish that's going to get us out of the kitchen. And those "few other things to set out" need to be warmed, chopped or toasted. Note also, lemon or lime juice and zest are used in each step of the recipe. The recipe or a head note should state the total amount needed so that one doesn't have to juice citrus repeatedly.
I’m not sure how many people you had helping you, but including prep this recipe took me 2 hours.
In defense of this recipe, and yes, it took me 35 mins. Folks need to know that it is best made as a "clean the fridge" meal. Use the leftover udon noodles you made for ramen from a previous meal. Add in the pre-cooked veggie or chicken from the night before. And then be okay that you are spending your time creating sauces and condiments that bring it all together.
Made this for a party & it was so fun to have everyone build their own bowls. A few things I did: - Made noodles in advance & kept in the fridge. Next time, I would toss the noodles right in the chili oil before putting them in the fridge instead of using canola. - I didn't realize that the scallions & cabbage basically use the same sauce (+ soy sauce for scallions) - next time, I'll make a big batch of the sauce & add right before serving instead of prepping separately for each.
This recipe is basically fusion Dandan Noodles, and I look forward to making it properly. Quick pantry version since I salivated over this recipe instead of going to the store: toast sichuan peppercorns and five-spice powder (3/5 match for the list of spices) in sesame oil, and then cook noodles in the same pot. Slice last sad scallion and mix the spiced sesame oil with peanut butter, black bean sauce, and a dash of soy sauce and black vinegar. Top with lemon juice - totally delicious.
This is surprisingly tasty! I’d say probably don’t skip any of the optional components of this because the chili oil works so nicely with the tahini sauce and I think that’s really the only reason this was so tasty. Also it did not take nearly as long as people are saying it took to prep. Maybe 45 mins all-in. I used sticky rice for the leftovers as I didn’t have much by way of noodles and it was great!
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