Do you ever just want to eat peanut butter for dinner? I suspect I'm not alone here, but for the sake of not horrifying your family or roommates, here's an actual recipe with a good dose of PB. This comes together in about 20 minutes, so it's a real winner on those lazy nights. Serves 2 or 4, depending on your determination. Goes great with grilled chicken. Double the sauce recipe for dipping.
PB Nutty Noodles
INGREDIENTS
Sauce:
3 Scallions, white and light green parts, minced, dark green sliced and saved for garnish
1/4 c peanut butter (I suggest Teddie, or a similar natural peanut butter)*
1 TB rice wine vinegar
1 tsp chinkiang vinegar (or balsamic if you don't keep your vinegar cabinet packed with every kind you can find. Yes, I have a vinegar cabinet.)
1 TB soy sauce
1 TB grapeseed oil (or any other flavorless oil)
1 TB sambal or chili garlic paste
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp fish sauce (I implore you to do your research and invest in a good brand. This list from ATK is a good place to start.)
1 TB brown sugar
1/4-1/2 c hot water, depending upon your desired sauce thickness
juice of 1/2 a lime, more if desired
Noodles:
12 oz noodles, cooked, rinsed under cold water, and thoroughly drained (Literally any kind. I have a great Asian market near me so I usually use fresh Korean vermicelli or dried udon. Rice stick like the kind for Pad Thai are a good grocery store option.)
2 cups (half a small head) of shredded cabbage (Again, any kind. You can even use the pre-shredded stuff that comes in a bag intended for cole slaw.)
To garnish:
Scallion greens, cilantro (optional if you think it tastes like soap) and crushed peanuts.
Add all of your sauce ingredients to a large bowl and whisk. Add the hot water a little at a time. You want a slightly thick consistency here, thicker than you think you'd want, but thin enough that the peanut butter emulsifies and isn't lumpy anymore. The noodles will be a little wet when you add them which will thin the sauce out more. The amount of water you need will vary depending on the peanut butter you use.
Add noodles and toss to combine. Serve on a bed of shredded cabbage, garnish with scallions, cilantro and crushed peanuts.
*I find that natural peanut butter works best here. It emulsifies better, has a cleaner peanut flavor, and there's no added sugar. If you only have JIF or something similar on hand, you may want to decrease the brown sugar a bit.
