Bliss Chasing (Going Stupid Mode)

Takin' it easy and a recipe for peanut noodles.

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Other writing

The Best Japanese Knives to Take Your Set to the Next Level at Bon Appétit
Eight Bowling Alley Animations That I Regret Making for PinBuddies Entertainment Between 2000 and 2010 at Points in Case
Why Tea Steeps and Coffee Drips: Unpacking the Science of Your Daily Brew at Serious Eats

Satisfaction (I Didn't Proof Read Any of This)

The other week we went out for dinner. We also went out to brunch. And we've also sat around at home and watched some basketball and cooked some food and I've been figuring out how to incorporate running back into my exercise regimen after a few iffy years here and there. I've been playing video games with my morning coffee and my reading list is backed up so far that it looks like a Culver's drive-thru (insert regional reference of your liking).

Essentially,

It's been great for my mental health. Going stupid mode has been blissful. Part of it is getting healthier (the running has helped with some weight loss and diet changes), and another part is establishing myself as a (somewhat) respected writer. Nothing feels better than not feeling like you need to be doing something else.

In some ways, I did it: in the last few years, I became a go-to knife expert for a well-regarded food magazine. That culminated in writing this comprehensive review of Japanese knives, which I'm proud of. It's a nice milestone, and maybe I'm just coasting on that one for now. But I also have a few pitches out there that I like, and I'm hopeful they get picked up. If they don't, all good. It is what it is.

One of the struggles of being a writer is not knowing where your career is headed. You might accidentally end up as a food writer. Then again, the first thing I ever published was in Serious Eats back in 2017. I was thinking the other day about the prime Twitter era, where a simple tweet or a reply could land you professional writing work. And then I remembered that exact thing did happen to me. I've been lucky that food has been such a generous avenue for my writing, and it's been eye-opening to learn that I'm somewhat of a subject matter expert. I've always thought my writing would be music or television-focused; I learned the hard way that the competition on that side of the fence is fierce. One day, you read an incredible piece of analysis from one of your favorite writers, and the next, you're pitching against them. Brutal.

One of the things I love about food is the undeniable nature of something tasty. People hem and haw over their movie tastes, hedging their picks with a "I know it's bad, but I like it" caveat. The same people will proudly run you through their Taco Bell order without a trace of sheepishness. When food is good, it's good.

That could be morels stuffed with a farce of chicken breast and ramps, served over a light lovage sauce. Or it could be peanut noodles with blanched snap peas and leftover steak. I like the latter as a go-to weeknight dinner. With some practice, it's easy to slap together with nothing but pantry ingredients. Perfect for stupid mode. Any vegetables or protein you have on hand to add to it just upgrades the dish into meal territory.

Weeknight Peanut Noodles

Weeknight Peanut Noodles is less of a recipe and more of a canvas. You need two things: noodles and a peanut sauce. Everything else is what you have on hand and what might make it tastier. For me, it's a slight upgrade over Bachelor Meal—a bowl of reheated rice and frozen peas topped with peanut sauce, as a sort of last-ditch way to feed myself. I've graduated beyond Bachelor Meal, but not by much. This recipe is broken into two parts: the base and the extras. You can mix and match any extras you'd like: they're all designed to fit together.

Ingredients (Serves 2, scale as needed)

Main

Soba or udon noodles (one bundle per person)
Peanut butter
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Rice vinegar
1 Tbsp Toasted sesame oil
2 cloves of garlic
1-inch piece of ginger
Dash of fish sauce (optional)
Lime juice (optional)

Extras

Scallion
Mint
Cilantro
Carrot, julienned
Cucumber, julienned
Red bell pepper, julienned
Chopped roasted and salted peanuts
Edamame
Snap peas, blanched
Animal protein
Tofu, seitan, etc.
Toasted sesame seeds

Directions

Cook the noodles according to the package, drain, and rinse thoroughly in ice water. Drain again, and set aside (no need to dry fully, some residual water is preferred).
Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil to a container. Add a dash of fish sauce (around 1 tsp or less). Whisk lightly. You can also add half a lime's worth of juice here, if you have one. If not, you can add a bit more rice vinegar.
Grate the garlic and ginger into the sauce, then whisk to combine. Once it starts to come together, start whisking in peanut butter until you reach the desired consistency. It should be thick—some of the residual water on the noodles will thin it out when sauced. Taste, and adjust seasoning and ingredients as needed—soy sauce for salt, rice vinegar.
Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss to mix. At this point, it's extras time:
1. Aromatics like scallions, mint, and cilantro should be sliced or chopped and added to the noodles as desired.
2. Any julienned vegetables can be mixed directly with the noodles. For the best texture, julienne each one as thin as the noodles themselves.
3. Roasted and salted peanuts should be chopped or crushed and tossed in late—you want them to retain a crunchy texture, and too long in the sauce will soften them.
4. Edamame can be added and mixed into the noodles as well. You can use the noodle cooking water to blanch your edamame, or if using frozen, reheat it quickly.
5. Snap peas can also be blanched in the noodle cooking water, but don't need to be mixed in. They can be laid on top.
6. Similarly, any extra protein you have can be laid over the top—leftover cold seared steak, roasted chicken thighs, fried tofu, etc.
7. Toasted sesame seeds, if using, can be sprinkled over the top as garnish.

Read

What's reading?

Watch

Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+

This show is truly dumb, but it's also inherently watchable. Scratches the superhero itch in ways that Marvel movies haven't for a while.

Listen

My Momma Told Me with Langston Kerman and David Gborie

This is one of the funniest and dumbest shows I've ever listened to. People call in with half-baked, half-joking conspiracy theories, and the hosts are the funniest two dudes I've listened to in a long time.

Consume