Jenny Suan La Fen (Sour and Spicy Noods)

Sup guyssss

I deserve that.

I'm sorry for going on hiatus T^T But I am back and let me tell you, I am in the MOOD FOR NOODS!!!

(I took this photo!!! :DD)

On the menu for today: 酸辣粉 Pronounced "suan-lah-fen" (or "fur" if you're from Beijing), these noods literally translate to sour and spicy noods! They combine the power of vinegar and chili oil and take no prisoners in their deliciousness. This is my top Chinese instant nood go-to flavor!

This recipe was lovingly adapted from the recipe under the same name by Woks of Life. She has created something truly special and I highly recommend you check out her blog. This recipe differs slightly from hers in that I took out some ingredients that I thought are more difficult to find. But she gets full credit for the following flavor symphony!! Woks of Life 万岁！

Pics at the end cuz who wants to scroll through all of that

Jenny Suan La Fen (Sour and Spicy Noods)

Prep time: 10-15 mins

Assembly time: 5 mins

Total time: About 20 mins

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 servings of Chinese sweet potato noods (红薯粉, hong shu fen) (traditionally)*

3 tbs of unshelled, salted peanuts

2 tsp of sesame seeds (go for toasted if you can find em)

2 1/2 veggie broth

2 slices of ginger, minced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp crushed or powdered Sichuan peppercorn* (I used whole peppercorns and beat them with a mallet :p)

3 tbs of your fav neutral oil (veg, avo, canola are all good), plus a little more for frying

2 tbs Chinese black vinegar

2 tbs soy sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tbs chili oil

1/4 cup of your fav pickles! (I used Chinese pickled mustard stems*)

1 chopped scallion (optional [but recommended])

1 tbs chopped cilantro (optional [but recommended])

*= See recipe notes at bottom

Directions

Cook your noods according to packaging instructions, rinse with cold water when done to arrest the cooking process, and set aside

Heat a lil bit of oil over low heat in a pan. Add peanuts and fry until fragrant, stirring frequently. (Nuts cook quickly, don't let them burn!) And if you can't find toasted sesame seeds, add sesame seeds to the remaining oil and fry until fragrant, also stirring frequently.

Split your minced ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, and peppercorn flakes/powder evenly among 2 nood bowls. Heat 3 tbs of neutral oil, you know it'll be ready when you stick a chopstick in and the oil bubbles around it.

At the same time, heat your veggie stock.

When the oil is ready, split it and pour into both bowls. Get ready for some sizzle! Stir and add vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and chili oil to both. (again, split ingredients evenly among both bowls)

Add the hot stock and mix well. Then add noods, pickles, peanuts, and (optional [but recommended]) cilantro and scallions.

Dig in!! #sendnoods

Recipe Notes

*Most people use sweet potato noods when they make suan la fen because they're very delicious and it's traditional. That being said, I didn't have any, so I used mung bean noodles, and they were also very delicious.

Remember young noodlewans, recipes are, at the end of the day, suggestions! Do what you want!!!

*SICHUAN PEPPERCORNNNN

This stuff slaps.

But it's not the hot kind of spicy that we're used to in these United States of America. It's a numbing type of spicy

That is to say...look forward to it!! ;)

*Chinese pickles are SOOO GOOD DO NOT LET THE PACKAGING SCARE YOU OFF

We don't usually see things like pickles vacuum sealed and sold in gas stations, but trust me when I tell you we would be so LUCKY.

Pick something that looks good and try it! You don't have to know what it is. That's my mantra! (And if you're really curious, read the ingredients label! Those are always in english.)

Also in my pictures I used pickled mustard stems but the link on this page is for pickled mustard leaves I think.