#black garlic

Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS:

For the dish:

7oz (200g) Chinese wheat noodles

3 Tbsp neutral oil

2 leaves cabbage, or other vegetables of your choice, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 yellow onion, chopped

2-3 green onions (scallions), for garnish

For the sauce:

2 bulbs black garlic

1-2 tsp Sichuan chili oil, to taste

1 Tbsp light soy sauce

1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 Tbsp neutral oil

1 Tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce

pinch sugar (optional)

3 Tbsp water

Chinese or Sichuan chili oil can be found at any East Asian grocery store; you can also make it yourself with dried chilis or chili flakes, vegetable oil, and whole spices. Any kind of Chinese yellow wheat noodles will work; chow mein are best if crispiness is desired. I used lo mein. Even spaghetti will do in a pinch.

INSTRUCTIONS:

For the sauce:

1. Squeeze black garlic into a small bowl and discard the skin. Mash with a fork or whisk until a paste forms.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.

For the dish:

1. If your noodles need to be boiled, cook them according to package directions. Drain and toss with a little sesame oil to prevent sticking.

2. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large pan on medium-high until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt and sauté 3-5 minutes, until softened and translucent.

3. Add cabbage and cook for another several minutes, until onions are browned and cabbage is softened. Remove onions and cabbage from pan.

4. Add 2 Tbsp neutral oil to the same pan and heat until shimmering. Fry noodles for several minutes until a shade darker--depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in batches. I use a pair of chopsticks or the corner of a spatula to agitate the noodles occasionally and ensure that they cook evenly.

5. Return cabbage and onions to pan. Add sauce and cook until it has thickened and coats the noodles. Taste and adjust sauce.