Looking for quick and flavorful weeknight dinners? Savory Asian noodles are a great option, but what if all you have is spaghetti? No worries! While it won’t be traditional, spaghetti can serve as a good substitute for Asian noodles with a few key pantry ingredients to balance the flavors of sweet, savory, salty, and umami. In a recipe from the book “Cook What You Have,” which utilizes pantry staples for easy meals, udon noodles are recommended, but spaghetti or fettuccine can be used instead.
In the spirit of disregarding traditional recipes, the dish blends the meatiness of Sichuan dan dan mian featuring spicy noodles with ground pork, with the ease of peanut noodles. The sauce is made by whisking soy sauce, peanut butter, and oyster sauce or hoisin to produce a rich, savory sauce packed with umami. The creaminess of the peanut butter ensures that the sauce clings to the noodles.
We sauté ground pork with chili-garlic sauce, and a touch of vinegar balances the richness. Balsamic, with its sweet-tart flavor, makes a good stand-in for the more traditional Chinese black vinegar. The noodles also are delicious topped with a fried egg.
Spicy Pork and Oyster Sauce Noodles
Start to finish: 30 minutes Servings: 4 to 6
1 pound spaghetti OR linguine OR dried udon noodles
3 tablespoons creamy OR crunchy peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce, plus more if needed
3 tablespoons oyster sauce OR hoisin sauce
Ground black pepper
3 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil
8 ounces ground pork OR turkey OR beef
2 medium garlic cloves, minced OR 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated OR both
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce OR 1½ tablespoons Sriracha sauce OR ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Reserve ½ cup of the hot water. Add the pasta to the pot, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. When the pasta is done, drain; set aside. While the pasta is cooking, in a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, oyster sauce, ½ teaspoon pepper and the reserved water. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the pork and cook, breaking the meat into little bits, until no longer pink, 1 to 1½ minutes. Add the garlic, vinegar and chili-garlic sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until the pork is browned, about 1 minute. Stir in the peanut butter mixture, followed by the pasta. Cook, stirring and tossing with tongs, until the pasta is shiny and the sauce clings, 2 to 4 minutes. Off heat, taste and season with additional soy sauce and black pepper. Optional garnish: Chopped roasted peanuts OR chili oil OR cucumber matchsticks OR toasted sesame oil OR thinly sliced scallions OR a combination EDITOR’S NOTE: For more recipes, go to Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street at 177milkstreet.com/ap