Chili Crisp Peanut Noodles With Portobello Mushrooms Recipe

"I love a good, spicy peanut noodle," says recipe developer Patterson Watkins, "It's tasty, it's simple, and an excellent option for busy weekdays." Peanut noodles are something you might find on the menu at a Thai restaurant, but they're also popular with home cooks because they're easy and budget-friendly. Watkins' version takes the dish to a new level with a spicy addition. "I am also obsessed with chili crisp, it easily infuses this dish with savory-fiery elements and fun textural pops — perfect for the peanuty noodles and that meaty mushroom topping." 

The addition of mushrooms to the dish ground the fieriness of the chili crisp with a little earthy flavor, and Watkins gives the noodles a little zing with pickled ginger borrowed from Japanese cuisine. The fusion of several different Asian cuisines (chili crisp originated in China before taking over the aisles at Trader Joe's) results in what Watkins calls "a satisfying and well-balanced bowl of noodles." These versatile noodles work as a side or appetizer, but they're also complex and hearty enough to serve as a vegetarian main. And though this recipe is simple to throw together for a weeknight meal, with its sophisticated balance of flavors and textures, it would also make an impressive offering for guests.

To make the peanut sauce for these noodles, you'll be using creamy peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chicken or vegetable broth, chili crisp, and sesame oil. You'll also need noodles (fettuccine will work), olive oil, portobello mushrooms, a shallot, and garlic along with basil, sesame seeds, and pickled ginger to use for garnishing.

To make the sauce, place the peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, broth, chili crisp, and sesame oil in a medium bowl or large measuring cup.

Whisk to combine the sauce and set aside.

To make the mushrooms, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.

Once hot, add the mushrooms (working in batches if necessary), and stir-fry until brown and tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, shallot, and garlic to the skillet, stir to combine, and stir-fry for 1 minute.

Add the soy sauce and chili crisp, stir to combine, and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until the garlic and shallot are tender and any saucy elements have been absorbed into the mushrooms.

Remove the mushrooms from the skillet and set them aside on a plate. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

Add the sauce mixture to the skillet and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly.

Simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Add the cooked noodles to the skillet and stir to coat in the sauce. If the sauce becomes too thick, use the reserved pasta water to thin it out. Cook, briefly, just until the noodles have reheated, about 1 minute.

Divide the noodles between bowls and top with the sliced mushroom, shallot, and garlic.

Sprinkle the noodles with basil, sesame seeds, and pickled ginger before serving.

Serve with extra chili crisp on the side for an extra helping of heat.

Patterson Watkins really likes chili crisp, "Swooooon! This is my kinda condiment!! Spicy, crunchy, and chockful of so much flavor. The 'crispy' bits are often a combo of garlic, red pepper flakes, and shallots — all swimming in this vibrant and intensely infused chili oil. Heat + umami = nom nom nom." Chili crisp is an increasingly trendy condiment consisting of seasoned oil and fried chiles. While it originally comes from China, it's been having a moment or two in the spotlight here in the U.S. 

While people have been frying chiles in oil for centuries, chili crisp in its modern form isn't particularly ancient since it was first produced commercially in 1997. The original brand, Lao Gan Ma, is made with soybean oil, chiles, peanuts, onions, salt, pepper, sugar, MSG, and preservatives, but there are numerous other chili crisp brands that each have their own recipe. You can also make homemade chili crisp if you'd like to skip the preservatives and tinker with the flavorings to suit your own preferences — adding more garlic, eliminating the sugar, or replacing the peanuts with a different crunchy element such as fried shallots. The uses for this versatile condiment are limited only by your imagination. Besides using your chili crisp in this noodle dish, this spicy oil can also keep a roast chicken moist and juicy or add flavor to a bowl of instant ramen. 

The first thing to do when you unbox your portobellos is clean them, since there may be what looks like dirt in the package. (It's probably moss since this medium is used by commercial growers, but you still might not want that stuff in your food.) You can dry brush them or rub them with a paper towel, but it's also okay to rinse them since mushrooms have such a high moisture content that a few more drops of water will do them no harm. If you do opt to rinse, however, allow a few minutes for them to air-dry before you store them.

Keep in mind that mushrooms last longer when unsliced. Whether sliced or not, mushrooms should be refrigerated in an open bag to allow for air circulation, but uncut ones may last for up to a week, while the sliced kind could start to go off after just three days. When you're ready to cook your portobellos, start by trimming off the woody bits on the ends of the stems. As for removing the gills, this is a matter of preference. These add a lot of flavor, but there may be little extra bits of grit (or moss) trapped up in there. The gills will also darken a mushroom sauce, so if you prefer a paler color, you may want to scrape them out gently using a spoon.