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Chili Oil Cold Noodles {Made from Wonton Skins!}

Sneaky wonton wrapper hack that lets you have "homemade" style thick-cut noodles in an instant without actually having to home-make them ;) Completed with a spicy and umami chili oil sauce that delivers all the bomb flavors and a satisfying sizzling.

I love the Chinese thick-cut, wide noodles, which are commonly made and consumed in the northern and western parts of China. Sadly they're not that easy to find especially at regular grocery stores. Of course, you can make your own from scratch, but let's face it, I don't always have the time or energy to make the dough and the whole process every single time I have a craving.

So the all-mighty wonton skins or wonton wrappers come to the rescue! If you've had wontons in the past you'd probably remember their silky, tender, and slippery skins and those qualities make them a perfect easy cheat for quick noodles but still with a homemade feeling! Simply cut the wrappers into whatever shape and size you like, peel each layer apart, then boil.

When cooking the wonton wrapper noodles, be sure to cook them in batches in order to not overcrowd the pot - this is to prevent the wrappers from clumping and sticking together. Rinsing them under cold water after boiling is another crucial step.

For the chili oil, you can make it ahead of time and keep in the fridge for up to a month, just make sure to always use a clean spoon every time you dig into it to avoid contamination.

Watch the video below for a complete step by step visual guide, and if you have any add additional questions you can find me on Instagram and Tiktok.


INGREDIENTS:

4 oz wonton skins
2 tablespoon homemade chili oil
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 - 2 tablespoon reserved noodle water
Chopped peanuts and cilantro for garnish

For the Chili Oil -
1/2 cup canola oil or other neutral-tasting oil
5-6 Chinese dried chili peppers, about 1 tablespoon chopped
5 garlic cloves, about 1 tablespoon minced
2 scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon gochugaru
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn, grounded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 bay leaf
1 star anise

TO MAKE:

- Make the chili oil first. In a saucepan, add in the oil and bay leaf, and star anise, heat over medium heat till bubbles start to form around the spices;
- Lower the heat and let the oil simmer and infuse with the flavors from the spices for 15 minutes, do not burn the spices, add in the salt, stir to make sure it dissolves;
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, add all the rest of the chili oil ingredients;
- When the spices are don infusing in the oil, remove the bay leaf and star anise, turn up the heat to raise the temperature, test the oil by dipping a chopstick tip in it, if bubbles immediately start to form then the oil is ready;
- Carefully pour the hot oil over all the ingredients in the bowl, enjoy the sizzling sound and aroma, stir to mix everything then set aside;
- Cut the wonton skins into your preferred shapes, I cut them into large triangles, then peel each layer apart;
- Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat, transfer the wonton noodles into the pot in batches, don't overcrowd the pot or they'd easily clump together;
- Cook the wonton wrappers for about 2 minutes or until they're somewhat translucent, save the noodle water, immediately run the noodles under cold water to further prevent sticking;
- Drain and transfer to a bowl;
- Mix together the homemade chili oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, thin the sauce out as needed with reserved noodle water;
- Pour the sauce mixture over the cooked wonton noodles and sprinkle on some chopped peanuts and cilantro, and serve immediatley. Enjoy!

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