Nigel Slater’s noodles with sesame breadcrumbs

You can use soba or matcha noodles here, whatever you have around. I would normally suggest you don’t use spaghetti for a recipe that clearly isn’t Italian – it just seems wrong – but, in this instance, it will work well enough if that is all you have to hand. Use whichever chilli paste you fancy. I like the thick Korean-style paste for this, but just use your favourite. Recipes such as this one are very much a suggestion, rather than a blueprint that must be stuck to word for word.

Serves 2. Ready in 40 minutes
garlic 4 cloves
groundnut or vegetable oil 2 tbsp
noodles 150g
spring onions 100g
chopped tomatoes 1 x 400g tin
chilli paste or sauce 4-6 tbsp
coriander 10g
lime juice of 1

For the breadcrumbs:
vegetable or groundnut oil 3 tbsp
white breadcrumbs 75g
sesame seeds 2 tbsp
chilli flakes 2 tsp

Peel the garlic and slice it thinly. Warm the oil in a shallow pan and cook the garlic over a low heat until pale gold and fragrant. A matter of 3 or 4 minutes, stirring from time to time. Remove from the heat and scoop the garlic out on to kitchen paper with a draining spoon.

Bring a large, deep pan of water to the boil and salt it generously. Once it is boiling, lower in the noodles and cook at a rolling boil until they are tender, but toothsome (check the packet timing as it can vary). Drain the noodles in a colander and set aside.

Prepare the breadcrumbs: place the empty garlic pan (adding a few more tablespoons of oil if necessary) over a moderate heat and add the breadcrumbs, cooking them in the garlic-scented oil until they are crisp and golden brown. Move them around the pan regularly to ensure they colour evenly.

Stir in the sesame seeds and chilli flakes and continue cooking for a minute or two. Tip them out into a dish, then wipe the pan with kitchen paper.

Chop the spring onions, return the pan to the heat, adding a little more oil if necessary, then scatter in the spring onions. Let them cook for a couple of minutes until soft, then stir in the chopped tomatoes. Bring to a bubble, then stir in the chilli paste, chopped coriander and lime juice. Season generously with salt, then stir in the noodles. Toss with the toasted breadcrumbs and the reserved, crisped garlic, then transfer to a bowl or shallow dish to serve.

This article was originally published on 30 March 2025