Black vinegar ages in ceramic jars for 3+ years in Zhenjiang—that funky depth makes these noodles irresistible to partners.
Wife Me Up! Chili Garlic Noodles
Get ready to spice up your dinner routine with our Wife Me Up! Chili Garlic Noodles! In just 10 minutes, you’ll whip up a tantalizing dish featuring al dente noodles tossed in a bold chili-garlic sauce, with a sprinkle of fresh scallions for that perfect crunch. Quick, easy, and utterly irresistible—these noodles are sure to win hearts at the dinner table!
Prep
5
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This dish traces back to 1980s Sichuan province when street vendors discovered that Taiwanese black vinegar could tame the numbing heat of local chili oil—then Chinese immigrants in California's San Gabriel Valley in the 1990s swapped traditional wheat noodles for whatever they could find at American supermarkets, creating this bastardized beauty that's now more popular in LA than Chengdu.
Regional Twist
In Beijing's Dongcheng district, they double the black vinegar and toss in fermented black beans with the soy sauce, turning this simple stir-fry into a proper umami bomb.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
450
Protein
28g
Carbs
42g
Fat
15g
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 3 tbsp (44 ml) chili flakes
- 4 stalks green onion
- ½ lb ground pork
- 2 portions noodles
- to taste tt sesame seeds
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- black vinegar (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- ½ in knob ginger
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- soy sauce (to taste)
- sugar (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Roughly chop the garlic.
- 2
Grate the ginger.
- 3
Dice and separate the green onions.
- 4
In a hot pan, add the neutral oil and then the garlic, ginger, and green onions.
- 5
Once fragrant, add the ground pork and a little salt.
- 6
Cook until the pork is browned, then add the soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, and chili flakes.
- 7
After about a minute, add the noodles and mix well.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Heat your oil to 325-350°F before adding aromatics - garlic should sizzle immediately but not brown within the first 30 seconds, indicating proper oil temperature for flavor extraction without bitterness.technique325-350°F
- ✓Break up ground pork into 1/4-inch pieces maximum and don't move it for the first 2-3 minutes to develop proper Maillard browning and create flavor-packed fond.technique2-3 minutes
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup of starchy noodle cooking water before draining - the 6-8% starch content acts as a natural emulsifier to bind the sauce to noodles.timing6-8% starch content
- ✓Add black vinegar off heat or reduce temperature to medium-low because acetic acid volatilizes rapidly above 180°F, losing its complex umami depth.technique180°F
- ✓Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes until golden to activate oils and increase nutty flavor compounds by 300% compared to raw seeds.ingredient300% flavor increase
Share this recipe
Prep
5
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Black vinegar ages in ceramic jars for 3+ years in Zhenjiang—that funky depth makes these noodles irresistible to partners.
Wife Me Up! Chili Garlic Noodles
Get ready to spice up your dinner routine with our Wife Me Up! Chili Garlic Noodles! In just 10 minutes, you’ll whip up a tantalizing dish featuring al dente noodles tossed in a bold chili-garlic sauce, with a sprinkle of fresh scallions for that perfect crunch. Quick, easy, and utterly irresistible—these noodles are sure to win hearts at the dinner table!
The Story
This dish traces back to 1980s Sichuan province when street vendors discovered that Taiwanese black vinegar could tame the numbing heat of local chili oil—then Chinese immigrants in California's San Gabriel Valley in the 1990s swapped traditional wheat noodles for whatever they could find at American supermarkets, creating this bastardized beauty that's now more popular in LA than Chengdu.
Regional Twist
In Beijing's Dongcheng district, they double the black vinegar and toss in fermented black beans with the soy sauce, turning this simple stir-fry into a proper umami bomb.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
450
Protein
28g
Carbs
42g
Fat
15g
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 3 tbsp (44 ml) chili flakes
- 4 stalks green onion
- ½ lb ground pork
- 2 portions noodles
- to taste tt sesame seeds
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- black vinegar (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- ½ in knob ginger
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- soy sauce (to taste)
- sugar (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Roughly chop the garlic.
- 2
Grate the ginger.
- 3
Dice and separate the green onions.
- 4
In a hot pan, add the neutral oil and then the garlic, ginger, and green onions.
- 5
Once fragrant, add the ground pork and a little salt.
- 6
Cook until the pork is browned, then add the soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, and chili flakes.
- 7
After about a minute, add the noodles and mix well.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Heat your oil to 325-350°F before adding aromatics - garlic should sizzle immediately but not brown within the first 30 seconds, indicating proper oil temperature for flavor extraction without bitterness.technique325-350°F
- ✓Break up ground pork into 1/4-inch pieces maximum and don't move it for the first 2-3 minutes to develop proper Maillard browning and create flavor-packed fond.technique2-3 minutes
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup of starchy noodle cooking water before draining - the 6-8% starch content acts as a natural emulsifier to bind the sauce to noodles.timing6-8% starch content
- ✓Add black vinegar off heat or reduce temperature to medium-low because acetic acid volatilizes rapidly above 180°F, losing its complex umami depth.technique180°F
- ✓Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes until golden to activate oils and increase nutty flavor compounds by 300% compared to raw seeds.ingredient300% flavor increase