This is Molly’s Asian twist on a classic Midwest 7-layer dip which Molly describes as a meal in dip form with all sorts of pretty layers, loosely based on chicken satay. It’s creamy and crunchy without the lactose overload.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 15 min |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- One 3-ounce (85-gram) package ramen noodles, seasoning packet discarded
- 2 tablespoons (20 grams) unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 Persian cucumbers, very thinly sliced crosswise
- 3/4 cup (192 grams) unsweetened creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon (21 grams) honey
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) sambal oelek, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 2 cups shredded or finely chopped skinless chicken (from a rotisserie chicken)
- Japanese-style mayonnaise, such as Kewpie
- Chili crisp, for drizzling
- 1/4 cup (36 grams) roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
- 2 scallions, light and dark green parts, finely chopped
- Lime wedges
- Scallion Pancakes, cut into wedges, for serving, recipe follows
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed and for dusting
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 scallions, very finely chopped
- Crushed dried red pepper flakes
- Neutral oil, for frying
- To serve:
- 1 scallion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Place an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- To toast the ramen: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and crumble the ramen into small pieces on the baking sheet. Bake until toasted and light golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- For the sesame cucumber quick pickle: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil. Add the cucumbers and toss to fully coat in the pickling liquid. Cover the bowl and refrigerate while you make the remaining components.
- For the peanut sauce: In a medium mixing bowl, add the peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, sambal, sesame oil and lime juice. Whisk until smooth, adding a tablespoon or two of water until a desired consistency is reached. Set aside.
- To assemble: Spread the peanut sauce in an even layer on the bottom of a serving dish or platter. Top with the chicken. Remove the cucumbers from their pickling juices and layer over the chicken. Sprinkle over the toasted ramen, then add a drizzle of mayonnaise followed by dollops of chili crisp. Sprinkle with the peanuts and scallions. Serve with lime wedges on the side and Scallions Pancakes for scooping. Leftovers will keep for a day, covered, in the fridge.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Stir in 1 cup of water to form a dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface for 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky. Cover the dough with plastic or a damp towel and allow to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and keep them covered when you’re not working with them. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll into a 7- to 8-inch circle. Brush evenly with a thin layer of toasted sesame oil and season with a few turns of freshly ground black pepper, one-quarter of the scallions and a good pinch of red pepper flakes. Roll it up like a jelly roll and then roll again into a spiral snail shape. Roll this out into a 7- to 8-inch circle and set aside. Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of dough.
- To cook: Heat 1/8 inch of neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the pancakes on both sides until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet.
- To serve, sprinkle the pancakes with the chopped scallions and sesame seeds. Cut the pancakes into 4 wedges and serve.