Cooking for One? I got you. 🌞

PORK NOODLES WITH CHILI OIL



IN A PINCH / PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 10 MINUTES

Inspired by the popular Sichuan street food, dan dan noodles, this
flavorful dish makes a great stand-in for takeout on nights you want a
little comfort food. Not a huge fan of heat? Reduce the amount of red
pepper flakes and skip the Sichuan peppercorns. You can also
substitute just about any other noodle for the wheat noodles. Try rice,
gluten-free, spaghetti, zucchini spirals, or even tofu-based noodles.

2 ounces uncooked Chinese-style egg noodles
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon sesame seeds
⅛ teaspoon cracked Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
3 ounces ground pork
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons avocado oil
1 cup mixed mushrooms (e.g., cremini, shiitake), chopped
1 scallion, thinly sliced (white and green parts separated)
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup packed baby spinach leaves
Sesame seeds, for garnish
Lime wedges, for garnish

1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the noodles and cook
until softened, 5 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain
all but 2 tablespoons of cooking water. Set the noodles aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the sesame oil,
red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and Sichuan peppercorns (if
using). Microwave on 60 percent power until very fragrant and dark
red in color, stirring once or twice, 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Season the pork with the salt and pepper. Heat the avocado oil in a
medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pork and mushrooms and
cook, stirring to break it up, until the pork is brown and the
mushrooms have released their liquid, 5 minutes.

4. Push the mixture aside and add the white scallion parts and garlic.
Cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

5. Turn off the heat. Stir in the soy sauce, spinach, and noodles, tossing
until the spinach wilts. Toss with the oil mixture and transfer to a
bowl. Garnish with sesame seeds, green scallion parts, and lime
wedges and enjoy.

Preparation Tip: You can make a bigger batch of chili oil and
store it in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Remove it
from the refrigerator 30 minutes before use to bring it to room
temperature. Enjoy the oil with eggs and tofu, in fish dishes, or in
other noodle and pasta dishes.

From "30-Minute Cooking for One"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58315150-30-minute-cooking-for-one

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Prawn Laksa



3 teaspoons oil
4 tablespoon laksa paste
425 ml (4 fl oz/1/2 cup) coconut milk
125 ml (4 fl oz/1/2 cup) chicken stock
4—6 prawns (shrimp), peeled and deveined
60 g (1 bundle) rice vermicelli
2 bean curd puffs, cut into 3 pieces
3.cm (1 1/2 inch) piece cucumber, cut into shreds
1 handful bean sprouts
a few sprigs Vietnamese mint or mint leaves
***Sambal Oelek
lime wedges

Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan and add the laksa paste (depending
on the brand, you may need to add a little more or less than the recipe
says — you can only find this out by trial and error, So Start with a little,
make up the soup base and then stir in a bit more if you need to). Cook
the paste over a medium heat, stirring it to stop it from sticking, for 2 to 3
minutes.

Stir in the coconut milk and chicken stock, bring mixture to the boil and
simmer for 5 minutes. Add prawns, bring the mixture back to the boil,
then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes — the prawns will turn
pink and opaque when they are ready.

Cook rice vermicelli in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and put in a deep
serving bowl.

Add bean curd puffs, cucumber and bean sprouts to the bowl, then ladle in
the laksa mixture. Garnish the laksa with a sprig or two of Vietnamese mint
and a small amount of sambal oelek (be careful as it is very hot). Serve with
lime wedges to squeeze into laksa.

Serves 1

From "Cooking For One" (chunky cookbook)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12835825-cooking-for-one

*** Sambal Oelek Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound red chili peppers, stems removed Thai is traditional, but red
jalapenos, serranos and cayenne peppers are good substitutes
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon salt

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS

2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon lime juice

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or other grinder. A Molcajete is a great option here.
Grind until a coarse paste forms. You can strain out some of the excess liquid if you'd like.
Add to a jar and cover. Refrigerate until ready to use.

A recipe for homemade Sambal Oelek, the classic chili paste made with chili peppers,
vinegar and salt, ideal for seasoning noodle dishes and so much more.

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One should always eat well, especially when alone!

Many more 1-2 person recipes coming!