I’ve been on a spicy kick lately. Does it have chiles? Copious amounts of chiles? Yes? Will my tongue tingle and will my mouth go numb? Sign me up then.
This Sichuan-influenced dish of glass noodles quickly dry-fried with spices and ground meat is fiery thanks to a healthy dose of chili bean paste and dried chiles. It’s a flexible recipe, so feel free to leave out the meat for a vegetarian version or add vegetables galore to up the health factor. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that this dish is spicy. Pass the water, please.
Ingredients:
- 6 ounces dry bean thread noodles
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 4 ounces ground chicken
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 green onions, minced, plus a few tablespoons reserved for garnish
- 1 Thai or serrano chile, minced
- 2 teaspoons doubanjiang
- Small handful chopped cilantro
- Place the noodles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak until pliable and tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Make the sauce: combine the soy sauce, sugar, and chicken stock in a small bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Heat the oil in a wok over high heat until shimmering. Add the Sichuan peppercorns and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Immediately add the chicken and stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, green onions, chile, and doubanjiang and stir-fry until fragrant about 45 seconds. Add the sauce.
- When the sauce is simmering, add the noodles. Gently lift and fold the noodles into the chicken and sauce (do not stir vigorously or the noodles may become sticky). When the sauce is mostly absorbed, fold in the reserved green onions and cilantro, and serve.