There isn’t much in this world that I adore more than noodles. The chewy strands make me positively poetic. But I will spare you my romantic musings about this oh-so-special carb and get to the point. Noodles are my favorite and today’s Silken Tofu Noodles are my current reigning favorite noodles, making this dish my favorite-favorite. If that’s not a ringing endorsement for this bowl, I don’t know what is. So what are we looking at here? You’re looking at a tangle of Shanghai Noodles dressed in a creamy ginger-heavy silken tofu sauce topped with braised shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots, crisp cucumbers, sesame seeds, and chili crisp. In a word, this dish is divine.
Smashed Cucumber Sesame Noodles
Sesame noodles are well-trodden territory at this point. But that doesn’t make them any less compelling. Every summer they factor rather prominently into my diet. When the world is inhospitably humid they are my favorite thing to slurp on. But in order to make blog-worthy sesame noodles, I knew I had to make them different. Because the Internet needs another straightforward sesame noodle recipe like I need another hole in my head. Luckily, I’ve been riffing on sesame noodles for several summers now. And these Smashed Cucumber Sesame Noodles are the most recent and my current favorite incarnation. So without further ado, let me introduce you to my main noodle squeeze.
Sticky Chicken Thighs with Rice Noodle Salad
If you read this blog you know I love a good leisurely cook. I’m sure some would rather call them “cumbersome” or “needlessly complicated” but I stand by the word leisurely. My recipes tend to celebrate the act of cooking, making a meal out of, well, making a meal. But when the summer hits that all goes out the window. If the sun is shining you will not find me assembling agnolotti. What you will find me doing is tossing protein in a hastily prepared marinade before abandoning it in my fridge. And from there the protein is grilled and served alongside a salad I cobbled together from things in my crisper and, hopefully, a glass of cold beer. It’s a whole different vibe. And today’s Sticky Chicken Thighs with Rice Noodle Salad fits very comfortably into that vibe.
Miso Pork Udon Noodles with Asian Pear
Noodles never fail to bring comfort. From the bowls of chicken noodle I sniffled my way through as a child, to the pho I crave when things don’t go my way, noodles have always been there. And with the world being what it is right now, I’d say we could all collectively use a bowl. So I present these Miso Pork Udon Noodles as a possible contender. What you’re looking at here is lightly braised ground pork, onions, and cabbage tossed with chewy udon noodles coated in a velvety miso-spiked sauce. Naturally, I added a fried egg because when it comes to comfort food, it always pays to put an egg on it.