Miso peanut noodles with spicy peanut crunch

If there's one thing that always makes me happy, it's a steaming bowl of noodles. Glass noodles, udon, noodle soup — you name it, I love it. These miso peanut noodles are happiness on a plate. Creamy, salty, spicy, crunchy... everything you want in one bite.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Sauce & noodles

• 2 packs of noodles (egg noodles work well)
• 1 can (400 ml) coconut milk
• 125 ml stock (chicken or vegetable, for a thick sauce)
• 1 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 tbsp white miso
• 1-2 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 thumb of ginger (peeled and grated)
• 1 tbsp palm sugar (finely chopped)
• 1 bell pepper (colour of your choice, in strips)
• 1 bunch of pak choi (white parts chopped, greens roughly chopped)

Peanut crunch (topping)

• 75 g salted peanuts (roughly chopped)
• 2 tbsp panko
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• Pinch of sugar

Extra toppings

• 1 soft-boiled egg (6.5 min)
• Cucumber in fine strips
• Fresh coriander and chilli crisp (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the chopped peanuts and panko. Keep stirring until the panko is golden brown and super crunchy. At the very end add the sesame seeds, chilli flakes and pinch of sugar. Fry briefly until the sugar sticks, then take it off the heat immediately to cool.
2. Put a saute pan over medium heat. Add the curry paste, miso, peanut butter, grated ginger, soy sauce and palm sugar. Stir into a thick, fragrant paste. Add the bell pepper and the white parts of the pak choi and fry for 2-3 minutes so they soak up the flavours but keep their bite.
3. Pour the coconut milk and stock over the vegetables. Stir well so the paste dissolves completely. Let the sauce simmer gently for 5-8 minutes until nicely thickened. At the very end, stir through the pak choi greens.
4. Meanwhile, cook the noodles in a separate pan (about 5 minutes). Drain and add them straight to the sauce. Toss well so every strand is coated in a thick layer of sauce.
5. Divide the noodles between bowls. Place the halved soft-boiled egg on top. Scatter a generous handful of your spicy peanut crunch over the dish and finish with the fresh cucumber and coriander.