Charred Scallion Chili Crisp Noodles
Ingredients
- 16 oz noodles I used lo mein
- 4 tbsp neutral cooking oil
- 1 bundle scallions about 8-9
- 12 oz shiitake mushroom or whatever mushrooms are cheap/available to you
- 1 cup corn freshly chopped (or frozen and reheated)
- 5ish cloves garlic minced (about 1.5 tbsp)
- 1 block tofu extra firm or super firm. No need to press it first.
Sauce
- 6 tbsp soy sauce divided
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp chili crisp
- thai chili powder, or Indian chili flakes, or sambal, or gochugaru, or pagoda chili oil to taste, optional, for extra spiciness and flavor
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 lime juiced
- salt to taste
- sesame seeds to garnish
- splash of maple syrup/sugar this is optional to help balance the flavors, however, my household prefers really savory dishes so we omit it
Instructions
Char Scallions (Optional but Delicious)
- In one pan, char chopped scallions over low heat in neutral cooking oil for 20 minutes. This is "low and slow". Once done, turn off the heat and set aside. (To make this dish easier/lazier, you can skip this step and simply garnish the noodles with finely chopped scallions at the end of cooking).
Sauté Veggies and Tofu
- While the scallions are cooking, in another pan, saute shiitake mushrooms over medium heat until golden brown.
- Towards the end of cooking the mushroom, throw in corn, sautéing for several more minutes. Empty the contents into a large bowl and set aside.
- In the same pan you cooked the veggies, crumble an entire block of tofu with your hands. Add a pinch of salt, garlic powder, and chili powder (if using). Sauté the tofu for several minutes until warmed through. Then, add minced garlic, and saute for 1-2 mins, stirring frequently. Set aside until the noodles are ready.
Prepare Noodles
- While the veggies are cooking, in another pan, boil noodles according to package instructions.
- Once the noodles and veggies are all cooked, combine them all in one large pan/wok over low heat. Add 6 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp rice vinegar, and 3 tbsp chili crisp. Toss to combine for 1-2 minutes over the heat, then turn off the heat.
- Add 2 tsp sesame oil, the juice of one lime, and garnish with sesame seeds and additional finely chopped scallion.
Notes
Thanks to my friends Attiya and Brian for their input on recommendations for the best way to make this dish spicy!
Also, the charred scallions are inspired by Chef Ming Tsai, who has a great video on charred scallions on his TikTok @chefmingtsai
Lastly, I’m Mexican and love corn and lime in everything, so decided to add it to this dish. It’s not traditional and is fusion-forward, so feel free to adjust/omit as you desire.
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