For those like myself that share a love of all things spicy, Red Hot Kitchen by my friend Diana Kuan cannot be missed. This is the much anticipated follow up to her first book The Chinese Takeout Cookbook, also one of my favorites. Many years ago, I discovered Diana through her blog Appetite for China and actually ended up collaborating with her on a pop-up dinner series called Tangra where we combined Indian and Chinese ingredients to create a 5 course meal for our guests. It was great fun and hope to revisit our collaboration again.
The one thing I love about Diana’s recipes is that you always know it’s going to turn out well. She is has been writing about and teaching the techniques found in her books for over a decade. She is meticulous in how she tests her recipes and it shows in the final product.
Red Hot Kitchen is devoted to the hot sauces of Asia. Many of the sauces in the book are familiar and ones we have all grown to love from Sriracha to Sichuan chili oil. Diana succeeds at making them accessible to prepare at home while also going into detail about the history of each sauce. Plus, she provides a number of recipes to apply the condiments to – some traditional and some her own creative takes.
I have a thing for Spicy Chili Crisp but after making the recipe from Diana’s book I highly doubt I will have to buy the condiment again. The process is so simple and results in a most delicious condiment with just the right amount of heat, smoky undertones, crunchy chili and leaves your tongue tingling from the Sichuan pepper. I have already used it in several ways (on cheesy garlic bread to name one!) besides the Peanut Noodle recipe I made from the book.
These Sichuan-Style Peanut Noodles are so delicious. I made the dressing and just wanted to drink it. I gave Alok a little taste before I added the Sichuan chili oil. The boy rarely voices his opinion on food vocally but looked up and said “Mommy, that’s yummy.” Where he learned this word yummy I don’t know as I hate it but it still does melt my heart to hear him say he likes something I made. The noodles are finished with bok choy, shitake mushrooms, cucumber and scallions – exactly what I want to eat on a hot Summer day.
I love this book so much, I am hosting a giveaway for one copy of Red Hot Kitchen to one lucky reader (US residents only). All you have to do is name your favorite hot sauce in the comments on this post by Friday June 14th. I will be collecting entries from here and my Instagram account and will announce the winner on June 15th!
Sichuan-Style Peanut Noodles
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1/2 pound baby bok choy
10 ounces dried thick wheat noodles, or 16 ounces fresh noodles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced or grated fresh ginger
8 fresh shitake mushrooms stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup Sichuan chili oil (recipe below)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Chinese black vinegar or good balsamic
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
1 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper
1 cucumber, peeled and julienned
2 teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds
2 scallions, finely chopped
Method
Trim the rough ends off the bay bok choy. Separate the leaves, rinse under cold water to remove any dirt, and dry with clean kitchen towels. Cut into thin bite-size pieces.
Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the noodles for the minimum amount of time according to the package instructions. Drain immediately, rinse with cold water, and drain again. Return the noodles to the pot or transfer to a mixing bowl. Toss with the sesame oil until well coated and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until just fragrant, 30 to 40 seconds. Remove the toasted garlic and ginger from the pan and set aside. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until they begin to turn golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bok choy and cook for 30 seconds; they should be lightly cooked but still retain a crisp snap.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Whisk in the Sichuan chili oil, soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, chili flakes, and Sichuan pepper. Stir in the toasted garlic and ginger.
Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss thoroughly, making sure all the noodles are well coated. Transfer to a large owl and deep serving dish and add the cucumber and mushroom/bok choy mixture on top. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and scallions. Toss before dividing into individual bowls.
Sichuan Chili Oil
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
2 heaping cups dried Chinese chilies or 1/2 cup crushed red chili flakes
2 cups vegetable, peanut or canola oil
1 stick cinnamon
1 bay leaf
2 whole star anise
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons ground Sichuan pepper
Method
If you’re using whole Chinese chilies, pulse them in a food processor until you have about 1/2 cup coarse flakes.
Pour the oil into a small heavy-bottomed pot and heat until the temperature reads between 175 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit on a deep fry thermometer. Remove from the heat. Stir in the chili flake; they should sizzle whey they hit the oil. Add the cinnamon, bay leaf, star anise, cloves, and Sichuan pepper. Let sit for 2 hours, then scoop out the cinnamon, bay leaf, and star anise and discard. (Do no strain out the chili flakes, ground cloves or Sichuan pepper.) Store the chili oil in a clean glass jar. It will keep for up to 1 year if you store it in a cool, dry place.
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I make a similiar chili oil to the one you listed but don’t add the Sichuan peppercorns and I put it on everything fried rice, pizza, eggs, congee!
One of my favorite hot sauces is the Ring of Fire served at PF Changs.
I’m a sucker for Chile Crunch. I got it once as a gift and like it even better than the Laoganma Chili Crisp.