Vietnamese Garlic Noodles

Method11 steps · about 25 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season the cooking water with salt. Have the garlic finely minced, the chives washed and chopped, and the Parmesan freshly grated before making the sauce.

   Uses Water for boiling the spaghetti in a large pot, mostly drained · salt (for boiling)

2. 2

   Step 2: Add all 200 g dry spaghetti to the boiling salted water. Cook to al dente according to the package instructions, stirring to separate the strands.

   Uses 200 g spaghetti · Boiling salted water from step 1

   
3. 3

   Step 3: If you want to loosen the sauce later, reserve a little of the actual pasta cooking water before draining. Drain all the cooked spaghetti, toss with the one tablespoon neutral oil to prevent sticking, and set aside briefly.

   Uses All actual spaghetti cooked in step 2 · Optionally reserve a little actual cooking water before draining; discard the rest · 1 tbsp neutral oil

4. 4

   Step 4: In a large pan or wok over low-medium heat, melt all four tablespoons butter. Keep the minced garlic ready so the butter does not burn.

   Uses 4 tbsp butter

5. 5

   Step 5: Add all ten finely minced garlic cloves to the melted butter. Cook gently for two to three minutes until softened, fragrant and just lightly golden, stirring and avoiding dark browning.

   Gently cook garlic in butter · 2 minUses All four tablespoons butter melted in step 4 · 10 clove garlic, finely minced

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Stir all the measured oyster sauce (1.5 tbsp), soy sauce (0.5 tbsp), fish sauce (2 tsp), sesame oil (0.5 tsp), sugar (1 tsp) and black pepper (0.5 tsp) into the garlic butter.

   Uses All cooked garlic and butter from step 5 · 1.5 tbsp oyster sauce · 0.5 tbsp soy sauce · 2 tsp fish sauce · 0.5 tsp sesame oil · 1 tsp sugar · 0.5 tsp black pepper

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Let the seasoned garlic-butter sauce simmer gently for about one minute, stirring so the garlic does not burn.

   Gently simmer garlic-butter sauce · 1 minUses All sauce mixed in step 6

8. 8

   Step 8: Add all the actual cooked, drained and lightly oiled spaghetti to the simmered garlic-butter sauce in the pan.

   Uses All actual spaghetti and its one tablespoon oil from step 3 · All finished sauce from step 7

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Toss over low-medium heat for one to two minutes until the noodles are evenly coated, glossy and hot. If the sauce needs loosening, add a little of the pasta water you reserved in step 3, as needed.

   Toss noodles until glossy and hot · 1 minUses All actual noodles and sauce combined in step 8 · Optional small draw of actual reserved pasta water, only as needed

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Taste the coated noodles. If needed, adjust with a little extra soy sauce or fish sauce for saltiness, sugar for sweetness, or black pepper for bite. These are optional extras; the measured sauce ingredients have already been used.

    Uses All finished noodles from step 9 · Soy sauce for optional final adjustment, to taste · Fish sauce for optional final adjustment, to taste · Sugar for optional final adjustment, to taste · Black pepper for optional final adjustment, to taste

11. 11

    Step 11: Divide the finished hot noodles between two plates. Finish with the freshly grated Parmesan and chopped chives, and serve immediately.

    Uses All noodles after tasting in step 10 · Parmesan cheese, freshly grated · chives, chopped