Vegetarian Bunker Slurp Noodles

Ingredients

for the Fried Shallots

• 5 small or 4 medium Asian shallots, thinly sliced

• 1/2 tsp of fine sea salt

• 1/2 tsp of ground white pepper

for the Noodles

2 tbsp of crack-oil (the reserved fat)

• 3 tbsp of fried shallots

• The carb: 14 oz (400 grams) of fresh, thick-cut Chinese hand-rolled noodles

• The paste: 1/2 tbsp of sichuan douban chili paste

• The seasoning:

  • 1 1/2 tbsp of soy sauce

  • 1/4 tsp of dark soy sauce (mainly adds color to the dish)

  • 1/4 tsp of rice vinegar

  • 1/4 tsp of sugar

  • 1/8 tsp of MSG, optional

• The spices:

  • 1/2 tsp of ground red sichuan peppercorn

  • 1/2 tsp of ground white pepper

• The aromatics/herbs:

  • 1 smashed garlic clove

  • 1/4 cup of finely diced scallions

Directions

for the Fried Shallots

1. Add however much vegetable oil you need to make it a heaping 1/2 cup, and return it to the same pot/skillet. Add the thinly sliced shallots and cook over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the shallots dehydrates and turn lightly golden-browned, approx 10 min (they will continue to darken a bit, and will crisp up after removed from the oil). Drain through a fine sieve, then immediately season with 1/4 tsp of fine sea salt and 1/4 tsp of ground white pepper. Season with more fine sea salt if need to. Set aside.

2. If you want to store crack. Freeze the fried shallots in an air-tight container, and refrigerate the oil in an air-tight container.

for the Noodles

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.

2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix 2 tbsp of oil, douban chili paste, all the seasonings and spices, and 1 smashed garlic clove (smashed enough to release flavour, but intact so you can pick it out later) until even.

3. Cook the noodle until done, then drain through a slotted spoon and add to the bowl. Mix well, add a couple tbsp of the cooking water if it’s too dry.

4. Then top with 3 tbsp of fried shallows and the diced scallions. Mix again, and eat.

Adapted from the original recipe by Lady and Pups