Delicious Asian Noodles Lao Gan Ma have layers of sweet-spicy flavors that develop a sauce you will be willing to lick the pan for. They are the best-flavored noodles I have ever had, better than takeout or even some fancy restaurant.
A friend was home from the mission field for a few months, and we discussed how she would like to learn some better cooking skills before she goes back. Several of us agreed to get together and show her some ideas of dishes she could make with the products she could get in her area.
She suggested I look at The Wok Of Lifeto get some ideas for recipes and did I ever! The site is full of recipes I plan on trying but for our cooking demonstration, I settled on Lao Gan Ma Noodles & The Godmother of the Godmother Sauces. My eyes have been opened to a whole new line of products that create the most uniquely delicious flavors.
The Secret Sauce!
They shared with me how this little gem, Laoganma (Lao Gan Ma) Spicy Chili Crisp can transform a dish’s flavor profile. Ok, folks, this stuff is life changing when it comes to flavor for your Asian recipes. I love discovering new products that become a staple in my house, and this Spicy Chili Crisp is it.
Don’t let the grumpy lady on the front fool you. Lan Gan Ma translates to godmother and she does have an interesting story. The Wok Of Life tells us “the Godmother is actually a real person––a widow who never finished school and can’t read. But her sauces helped raise her two boys, and she built a world-famous brand in just twenty years’ time! As a businesswoman in a former life, I understand hard work, but going from a small village in China to building a global brand boggles my mind. Her secret is the focus on the quality and integrity of products, and she proudly claims that her sauces are available wherever you find Chinese people!”
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Asian Noodles Lao Gan Ma
Note: Be sure to read through the recipe’s post for tips and details about this recipe.
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon Chinese black vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced scallions
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp Hot Chili Oil, Hot Chili Sauce, more if you like it spicy
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅓ cup raw cashews
- 7 ounces dried rice noodles
- 2 cups bok choy, washed and chopped into bite size pieces
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
Instructions
Toast Sesame Seeds
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Spread the sesame seeds on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 4-6 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Keep an eye on them to prevent burning.1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Prepare Sauce
- In a large bowl, mix the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, minced scallions, ginger, garlic, Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds. Set aside.2 teaspoons light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, ½ teaspoon Chinese black vinegar, 2 tablespoons minced scallions, 1 teaspoon minced ginger, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp Hot Chili Oil, Hot Chili Sauce
Fry Cashews
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.3 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the raw cashews and fry for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden and fragrant.⅓ cup raw cashews
- Drizzle the hot oil and nuts into the prepared sauce and gently stir to combine.
Cook the Noodles and Bok Choy
- Bring a medium-size pot of water to a boil. Use enough water to fully submerge the noodles and bok choy
- Once the water reaches a rolling boil, turn off the heat. Rice noodles are delicate and do not need to be boiled, only soaked in hot water. We also want the bok choy to remain crisp, so the goal is to blanch it in the hot water too. Place the rice noodles and chopped bok choy in the hot water. Make sure they are both fully submerged.7 ounces dried rice noodles, 2 cups bok choy
- Let the noodles and bok choy soak for about 5 minutes. Stir them gently to prevent sticking. Soaking times can vary depending on the thickness of the noodles, so check the package instructions for guidance.
- Drain the noodles and bok choy together once the time is completed for soaking.
Combine and Serve
- Pour the sauce over the drained noodles and bok choy, tossing to coat evenly.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro.1 tablespoon cilantro
Hey Gina,
New reader here. There seems to be a bit of confusion in the recipe about peanuts or cashews. The ingredient list says cashews and the recipe reads peanuts. Which would you recommend? I am guessing both works?
Max, this is an old recipe that I created a few years ago. It’s still one of my personal favorites! You are right, when I wrote the recipe post I was not as detailed as I am now. I went in today and rewrote the instructions in the recipe card. I have not rewritten the post, that takes a good bit of time that I didn’t have today. I took out the part about the peanuts, it’s really not important as far as a substitute for raw cashews. I put peanuts in once when I was out of cashews and it was good though. Would you look over the new recipe card and let me know if it’s easier to follow now that I took out the peanuts substitution and made the steps easier to follow? Thanks Max.