Chili Garlic Noodles

20 mins Prep Time

20 mins Cook Time

Written By

Vicky Tran

There are countless iterations of this recipe that exist and all with good reason. Known widely on many food blogs as "flash noodles" for their ability to come together so quickly, it's really sort of an elevated instant noodle. A multi-purpose sauce base is created using chili sauce, soy sauce, black Chinese vinegar and sugar; this sauce is then tossed in just about any cooked noodle of choice (avoid any rice starch-based noodles, though). I opt for a fresh shanghai noodle here because I love the bounce and chewy texture. Incredibly good as is but also very conducive to being added to, think: steamed veggies, Cantonese BBQ meats or my personal favourite, runny fried eggs. The true pièce de résistance here are the bits of crispy fried garlic, which you will want to ensure end up in every nook and cranny of these noodles when topping.

Ingredients

Chili Garlic Noodles

1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup scallions, sliced
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 package (1 pound) fresh Shanghai noodles
1/2 cup hot water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons chiu chow chili oil
1/2 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

Directions

Chili Garlic Noodles

3 Steps

Step 1

To prepare the sauce, in a small mixing bowl combine the hot water with the sugar and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Add in the remainder of the sauce ingredients (soy sauce, chiu chow chili oil, Chinese black vinegar and sesame oil) whisk until even and set aside.
Step 2

To prepare the crispy garlic, heat the canola oil in a medium-sized pot, once the oil reaches 350°F, carefully add in the minced garlic. Stir very regularly and allow the oil to fry until it reaches a golden brown colour, approximately 5-8 minutes on medium heat. Once the garlic is golden, strain through a fine mesh strainer and spread onto a paper towel-lined plate and season with a sprinkle of salt. Allow to cool. (Note: the oil that the garlic was fried in can be saved and used for sautés and stir fries. The fried garlic can be stored in a cool dry place for up to 1 month.
Step 3

Cook the noodles according to package directions, and strain. Toss immediately in as much or as little of the sauce as desired. Top with crispy fried garlic and sliced scallions.