Lao Gan Ma Noodles

Get out from under that rock because you are missing out if you haven’t tried The Godmother’s Chili Crisp Sauce or The Godmother’s Black Bean Sauce. Everyone who has tried her sauces is completely addicted. These Lao Gan Ma (“The Godmother”) sauces have received passing mention in various recipe blogs over the years, but it is about time that we devote more attention to them. This is not a sponsored post, and the recipe for Lao Gan Ma Noodles is completely legit.

Even if they aren’t familiar with the brand name, consumers know that just a little bit of these sauces can elevate an otherwise average dish to the next level.

A true, non-fictional person, the Godmother is a widow who dropped out of school and can’t read or write. However, she was able to put food on the table for her two sons thanks to her sauces, and in under twenty years, she created a globally recognized business.

As a previous businesswoman, I appreciate the value of a hard day’s labor, but to go from a rural Chinese village to establish a household name in every corner of the globe is beyond my comprehension. Her sauces, she says with great pride, can be found wherever there is a sizable Chinese population because of her dedication to product quality and honesty. In fact, we once spotted her sauces on the shelves at a Wegmans! We’re talking about a worldwide phenomenon here.

We haven’t had the opportunity to test all of her condiments and sauces yet, but they include everything from fermented bean curd and hot pot sauce bases to several kinds of chili oil and sauces. However, the Chili Crisp and Black Bean Sauces are always accessible in the fridge.

We blend it with noodles, stir-fried vegetables, and dipping sauce for hot pots. Combining the hot oil method from my Hot Oil Noodle recipe, I prepared this easy dish of Lao Gan Ma Noodles with the godmother’s chili crisp as an illustration.

It’s fantastic, but you should try it for yourself.

INGREDIENTS:

• 200g of dried rice noodles
• 1 cup of leafy greens of choice
• ⅓ cup of raw peanuts
• 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
• 3 tablespoons of oil
• 3 tablespoons of finely chopped za-cai
• 2 tablespoons of minced scallions
• 1½ tablespoons of your favorite lao gan ma or “godmother” sauce
• 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons of light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons of toasted sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of minced ginger
• ½ teaspoon of Chinese black vinegar
• ½ teaspoon of sesame oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. First, make the sauce base by combining the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, scallion, ginger, garlic, “godmother” sauce, sesame oil, za-cai, and sesame seeds in a large dish.
2. Bring the oil to a simmer in a wok over medium heat, and stir-fry the peanuts for 5–7 minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Remove the peanuts from the skillet and add the oil left over from frying them to the sauce.
3. Noodles should be boiled in water, as directed on the package. Put the leafy greens into blanch a minute before the rice noodles are finished cooking.
4. Drain the noodles and greens after the final minute of cooking time.
5. Toss the noodles with the sauce base, then sprinkle on the peanuts and chopped cilantro.