Success at last! This recipe was delightful in many ways, most of all because I managed not to completely screw it up.
I've had this dish before, at a lovely Denver restaurant called Lao Wang Noodle House. It's run by an elderly couple—he does the kitchen, she takes the orders—who seem to know their stuff. I really loved their version of this "Chinese spaghetti" when I visited last month, having already decided to make it as part of Chinese Month.
Lao Wang, I love you, but this recipe is better. I made it exactly as ordered, with few exceptions. I used a regular skillet this time instead of our stupid mini-wok. I didn't have cucumber, so just did the carrot shreds. I felt like the whole tofu thing was a bit much, so I didn't use that, either. I couldn't find the wider, fettucine-like noodles used at Lao Wang, so I just used thin Chinese egg noodles.
As suggested in the recipe's accompanying article, I added cilantro to each bowl. This was a lovely touch, as I believe cilantro is a miracle. I can also see scallions being good.
I will most assuredly make this recipe again. In fact, I can't wait to do it. John scarfed it up, and we both ate the leftovers a couple days later. I think it tasted even better after sitting in the fridge and getting its flavors more fully blended together.
The only thing I would change is to increase the sauce mixture by half or double. I like saucy noodles and this was a little dry for me. But so, so excellent. I'm also excited to try the author's vegetarian version with mushrooms and tofu. Mmm.
Hooray! This little success was much needed. I don't generally like Chinese food, so I ended up cursing quite a bit at my failures. "I KNEW there was a reason I didn't like Chinese food! Ugh! Screw this!" But the za jiang mein was a revelation.
Recipe: 5/5
My performance: 5/5
On to French Month!
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