Chili Oil Noodles Recipe

Serves: 4 
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

for the chili oil brown butter: 
1 (9-ounce|255-gram) jar ghee
8 garlic cloves, peeled 
5 scallion whites
3 Thai chilies, stems removed
1 tablespoon green Szechuan peppercorns
¼ cup|20 grams Szechuan chili flakes
3 tablespoons whole milk powder

for the chili oil butter noodles: 
1 tablespoon canola oil 
1 (1 ½-inch thick) New York strip steak (optional)
7 tablespoons|105 grams chili oil brown butter 
1 pound|450 grams wheat noodles 
6 tablespoons|90 ml soy sauce
3 tablespoons shallot sauce
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons MSG 
3 ounces|90 grams chili oil brown butter
1 ½ tablespoons black vinegar
3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced on an angle
cilantro leaves, thinly sliced 
Thai basil leaves, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt the ghee in a small saucepan over medium-low. Add the garlic, scallion whites, chilies, and Szechuan peppercorns and simmer until the aromatics turn golden-brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the chili flakes, then let cool. 
2. Toast the milk powder: Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium. Add the milk powder in an even layer and cook, stirring often, until golden-brown and toasted, about 5 minutes. 
3. After the ghee has cooled, transfer to a blender and add the toasted milk powder. Blend until smooth, then pour into a medium bowl placed over a large bowl of ice. Stir until the chili brown butter has cooled, then reserve in the refrigerator. 
4. If eating your noods with steak, heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Season the steak with salt, then place in the skillet and cook, flipping once, to desired doneness. Place the steak on a wire rack to rest, and place 1 tablespoon of the chili oil brown butter on top to melt while it rests for 10 minutes, then thinly slice against the grain.
5. In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and boil until cooked through, about 3 minutes. 
6. Meanwhile, heat the soy sauce, shallot sauce, sugar and MSG over medium in a large skillet. Add the cooked noodles and toss to combine, adding a few tablespoons of pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Add the rest of the chili butter and toss until the sauce is emulsified and the noodles are glossy. Finish with the black vinegar and toss to combine. 
7. To serve, fold the noodles into a bowl and place a few slices of steak on top. Garnish with the scallion, cilantro, and Thai basil leaves. 

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