1. Prepare the Noodles and Aromatics

Start by filling a large pot with water, add a generous pinch of salt just as you would for pasta, and bring it to a boil over high heat. While the water heats, thinly slice the scallions, keeping the white and green parts in separate piles so you can build flavor with the whites and garnish with the greens later.​

Mince or grate the garlic on a coarse grater to help it disperse more evenly and taste stronger in every bite, then grate the ginger so it melts into the sauce instead of staying in fibrous chunks. Having all of the aromatics prepped before you heat the oil keeps the process smooth, since the actual cooking happens very quickly once you start.​

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2. Build the Chili Garlic Flavor Base

In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the white parts of the scallions, hot pepper flakes, paprika, sugar, toasted sesame seeds, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and toasted sesame oil. Stir everything together until you have a thick, slightly pasty mixture; at this point it might look unimpressive, but this base will transform once the hot oil hits it.​

This mixture layers different types of flavor: the chili flakes bring heat, paprika adds color, sugar balances sharpness, vinegar brightens, and sesame seeds plus sesame oil create a nutty backbone. Keeping all of these elements in one bowl also ensures the hot oil blooms them evenly, so no single ingredient burns or overpowers the rest.​

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3. Heat the Oil Until Shimmering

Add the vegetable oil to a small saucepan and set it over medium heat. Use a neutral oil so that its flavor stays in the background and lets the chili, garlic and sesame notes shine.​

Watch for the surface of the oil to start to ripple slightly, a sign that it is very hot and ready to pour over the aromatics. Avoid rushing this step on too high a flame; you want the oil hot enough to sizzle and bloom the spices without smoking heavily, which would make the flavors bitter instead of pleasantly toasty.​

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4. Bloom the Spices with Hot Oil

Once the oil is hot, carefully pour it directly over the chili garlic mixture in the bowl, standing back slightly as it will sizzle immediately. The hot oil is the only cooking that this spice mixture gets, but it is enough to toast the chili, wake up the garlic and ginger, and release the aromatic oils from the scallions and sesame seeds.​

Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to cool slightly and allow the flavors to meld while you cook the noodles. As it rests, the oil becomes richly colored and fragrant, turning into a glossy chili garlic sauce that will coat the noodles evenly.

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5. Cook and Drain the Noodles

When the pot of salted water comes to a rolling boil, add the wide rice noodles and cook them according to the package instructions until tender but still pleasantly chewy. These wide noodles have great texture and a nice bite, which holds up beautifully to the bold, spicy oil.​

Once cooked, drain the noodles well and return them to the hot pot, letting any excess surface water steam off so the sauce clings rather than sliding off. If the noodles feel very wet, give them an extra few seconds in the empty warm pot to dry slightly; this small step helps the spicy oil adhere better.​

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6. Toss Noodles in the Chili Garlic Oil

Pour the chili garlic oil mixture over the hot noodles in the pot, scraping the bowl so you capture every bit of the toasted spices and seeds. Use tongs or chopsticks to toss the noodles thoroughly until they are evenly coated and take on a deep, vibrant red color from the chili and paprika.​

Taste and adjust if needed, adding a touch more rice vinegar for sharpness or an extra pinch of salt if your soy sauce was on the milder side. The noodles should taste spicy but still balanced, with enough acidity and sweetness to keep the heat from feeling overwhelming.​

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7. Garnish and Serve Right Away

Transfer the glossy, chili coated noodles to bowls and sprinkle generously with the reserved green parts of the scallions for freshness and color. The greens add a bright, oniony crunch that contrasts nicely with the soft chew of the noodles and the warmth of the spices.​

To make this a full meal, you can top the noodles with cooked ground turkey, chicken, pork or seared tofu and fold in some steamed vegetables such as broccoli or snap peas. Serve immediately while everything is hot and aromatic, letting each person toss their noodles a final time in the bowl to pick up any remaining chili oil and sesame seeds.​