5 Minute Peanut Chilli Noodles

9 oz hand-cut thick noodles

1.5 tbsp peanut butter

1 tsp chili flakes

1/3 cup fresh green onion, sliced

2 tsp sesame seeds

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp white sugar

1 tbsp chili crisp (+ 2 more tbsp extra for garnish)

1 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

1/4 cup neutral oil

3 tbsp reserved pasta water (optional)

More sliced green onion, for garnish

Fresh lime wedges, for garnish

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook your noodles according to package instructions. Undercook them by about 30 seconds because they’ll finish in the sauce. Save some pasta water, then drain and rinse the noodles under cold water so they don’t stick together.

In a cold pan (no heat yet), add: peanut butter, chili flakes, green onion, sesame seeds, garlic, sugar, 1 tbsp chili crisp, rice vinegar, and dark soy sauce.

Heat 1/3 cup neutral oil until it’s really hot (like “sizzle your eyebrows off” hot), then carefully pour it over the cold ingredients in the pan. Watch the magic happen. Stir it all together.

Toss in your noodles and coat them in the sauce. If you want them extra silky, turn on the heat to medium-low, splash in 2–3 tbsp of the reserved noodle water and thoroughly mix together.

Turn off the heat, top with more green onion, extra chili crisp, and lime wedges if you’re fancy.

Dan Dan Noodles

Egg Noodles - ½ lb., cooked as per package directions

Ginger - 1 tbsp., minced

Garlic - 2 tsp, minced

Cornstarch - 2 tbsp.

Soy Sauce - 3 tbsp.

Chicken - ¾ lb.

Chicken Stock - ⅔ cup

Peanut Butter - 2 tbsp.

Rice Vinegar - 1 tbsp.

Chilli Garlic paste - 2 tsp

Chilli Oil - 2 tsp

Sesame Oil - 2 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp.

Scallion - ¼ cup, sliced

Bell Pepper - 1 ½, sliced

Snow Peas - ½ lb.

Peanuts - ½ cup, chopped and roasted

Mix Ginger, Garlic, Cornstarch, Soy sauce and Chicken in a bowl.

In another bowl, whisk together Chicken Stock, Peanut butter, Rice Vinegar, Chili Garlic paste, Chilli Oil and Sesame Oil.

Heat a large frying pan over high heat and swirl in Oil.

Add Scallions and Chicken mixture, stirring until Chicken is lightly browned and no longer pink.

Add Bell peppers and stir for 1 minute.

Add Chicken broth mixture; stir until slightly thickened, 2 minutes.

Add Snow peas and Noodles to the pan. With tongs, toss until combined and heated through.

Add Peanuts and toss.

Top with more Scallions and serve warm.

Kolkota Style Payesh

Milk – 2 litres

Milk (reserved) – 1 cup

Gobindobhog rice – 100 g

Ghee – 2 tbsp (for rice)

Bay leaves – 2

Cardamom pods – 6

For Thickening

Milk powder – 200 g

Reserved milk – 1 cup

For Sweetening

Jaggery (gur) batasha – 400 g (You can purchase it from online stores like Amazon, Flipkart, or other e-commerce websites)

For Garnish

Ghee – 2 tbsp

Cashew nuts – 15

Raisins – 1 tbsp

Prepare the Milk Base: Heat 2 litres milk and bring it to a boil. Remove 1 cup of milk and keep it aside. Add bay leaves and cardamom pods to the boiling milk and let it simmer.

Cook the Rice: Mix Gobindobhog rice with 2 tablespoons ghee so it gets well coated. Add the rice to the milk and cook on a low flame till the rice is soft and fully cooked.

Add Thickness: In the reserved milk, mix milk powder to form a smooth slurry without lumps. Add this slurry to the kheer and bring it to a boil, stirring gently.

Sweeten the Payesh: Add jaggery batasha and let it melt completely. Cook till the kheer thickens slightly and develops a rich colour.

Final Garnish: Heat ghee and fry cashew nuts till lightly golden. Add raisins and sauté briefly. Add this to the payesh and mix gently. Serve warm or chilled.