Before you say "cholesterol" and run, try adding a spoonful of aligue to your next last-minute noodle situation. In the case of these chili oil knife-cut noodles, the orange paste adds a buttery, palabok-like richness and a nuanced seafood flavor to the 15-minute dish.
What are knife-cut noodles?
Knife-cut noodles (or dao xiao mian) come from China’s Shanxi province. As the name implies, they’re made by thinly slicing a block of stiff dough into boiling water. This forms ribbon-like noodles that are thicker and chewier than the usual hand-pulled variety. When cooked, knife-cut noodles curl and form squiggly edges.
Are knife-cut noodles available in the Philippines?
Unless your supermarket is cool, you probably won't find instant knife-cut noodles there. Check out specialty Asian groceries or online resellers instead—we ordered ours from Shopee.
If you have flour and water, you can also make them yourself!
