Peanut Soy Noods

I honestly thought when all of this started that I would be able to develop a bunch of recipes and write a ton on evenings and weekends now that there was more time and only so much I could really binge watch. But for a few reasons, the days passed by without much motivation to do anything in this space.

First, I find it difficult to concentrate on much except work. My day job that is. I can buckle down easily with those tasks. But in the off-hours, my mind wanders a lot which makes it hard to really write anything meaningful. It’s the same reason I can’t read any nonfiction or literature right now. I’ve been devouring novels, but I can only follow a plot if it’s very strong with a fast pace. Easy-beach-read types.

Second, it’s a bit daunting to think about what would be useful or welcome for you all. In this time of frenetic yet depressing energy, what would you really find meaningful? There is so much content being thrown at you in all directions. Not all of it is exactly hunky dory. But easy fluff stuff just seems a little stressful to add to the pile.

And third, it seems almost useless to provide you with recipes while pantries everywhere a little limited. Grocery store trips are hazardous, and shelves aren’t exactly stocked once you get there, so yeah. Useless.

But this recipe is a pantry winner. And it’s meant to be a little refuge in the drudge of the right now. Bright, spicy, salty, and a little sweet, this will definitely make your day a little brighter. And no stress. Substitutions are welcome and expected. Hopefully, this will help you as we ride out the (let’s cross our fingers) last days of shelter-in-place.

I think a science tidbit right now would be a little too much because we’re all just getting by. So I’ll just jump straight to the recipe. But if you want to geek out a bit, take a look at this one. It tells you all about how vegetables rot in your fridge. A luxury you probably don’t have right now, but it’s some gnarly details that are fun to read. It’s also another flexible recipe with ramen, so take a peek there too.

This guy is based on Thai peanut takeout noodles. That’s a generous comparison, but cut me a little slack here. There are a bunch of recipe notes on how you can make this work for you and your kitchen. It’s basically a peanut sauce with soy sauce for salt, lime for acidity, sriracha for heat, and ginger for flavor, all served over noodles with carrots and green onions for crunch and freshness. In my experience, commercial peanut butter (think Jif, Skippy) works best. Save the natural stuff for your toast.

Hang in there friends!

Peanut Soy Noods

This recipe is perfect in my mind for when your fresh foodstuffs are stressed. This relies heavily on your pantry stables. Substitute whatever ingredients you have on-hand. The spicy component could be any hot sauce you have. The noodles can be anything, whole wheat spaghetti, rice noodles, ramen noodles, fettuccine, etc. For toppings, use whatever. I had baby carrots that I peeled with a vegetable peeler to make long slivers. If you have cucumbers, it would be even more perfect. Cilantro is a welcome addition, but if you have any fresh herb, it will work. Mint, Thai basil, parsley, basil, etc. will make it taste fresher. Other inclusions like broccoli, water chestnuts, pea pods, edamame, bell peppers, etc. are perfect if you have them. Green onions or slivered garlic are great here as well. Whatever you’ve got. Bring it!

Print recipe

Serves 2-3 (or 1 with leftovers if you’re responsibly socially distancing alone in your apartment!)

Adapted from here

7-8 oz noodles of your choice (see above)

½ cup peanut butter

¼ cup soy sauce or tamari

Juice from one lime or 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, or other acid in your pantry

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons Sriracha or other hot pepper sauce like Tabasco, Gojuchang, or something similar

1 ½ tablespoons agave, honey, simple syrup, or other sweetener on-hand

1 teaspoon minced chopped ginger or ginger paste

⅓ cup hot water

Toppings (optional depending on your pantry situation, see above)

Carrots

Cilantro, or other assorted fresh herbs

Sesame seeds

Green onions

Additional hot sauce or pepper flakes if you want more heat

Etc. Etc.

1. Boil the noodles of your choice in a pot of boiling salt water. Cook until the pasta is al dente. When finished cooking, drain the pasta. Retain ⅓ cup of the pasta water. Run cold water over the noodles to cool them down and prevent them from cooking. I like to add a few ice cubes to the noodles to get them really cold.
2. Add the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, sriracha, sweetener, ginger, and retained pasta water to a big bowl. (For simplicity sake, I like to use the boiling water from the pasta for the water to add to the sauce) Whisk together until smooth.
3. Prepare toppings if you have them available. I had carrots, green onions, sesame seeds, and some cilantro barely hanging on in my fridge. See notes above on how to prep them.
4. Dry the noodles slightly on paper towels and remove any excess water. If you’re using rice noodles, they may be really dry and sticking together. For these, add a bit of sesame oil or soy sauce to loosen them up.
5. Put the noodles in the bowl with the sauce and toppings and toss together. Serve and enjoy!
6. These noodles keep well in the fridge. If you’re serving them as leftovers and want to break the monotony of the same meal over and over, they’re an excellent accompaniment with stir fry or a simple green salad with lime vinaigrette.