Spicy Dan Dan Noodles

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the udon. Wipe cremini mushrooms clean with a damp kitchen towel. Roughly chop the cremini mushrooms. Peel and mince the garlic and shallot. Trim 1 inch off the gai lan ends. Thinly slice the cucumber into rounds, and add sliced cucumber to a small bowl with just 1 tbsp chile garlic sauce.

Add the remaining chile garlic sauce, tahini, rice vinegar, tamari, and ⅓ cup hot water to a medium bowl and mix.

Add the udon to the boiling water and gently stir. Cook until al dente, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Heat 2 tsp vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the gai lan and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until gai lan is bright green and tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the sautéed gai lan to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Add chopped cremini mushrooms, minced garlic, minced shallot, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the cooked udon and sauce to the skillet, and toss.

Halve the lemon and divide one half into wedges. Divide the dan dan noodles between plates and serve with the gai lan and spicy cucumbers. Sprinkle with smoked nori spice and squeeze the lemon half over each plate. Serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy!