Food Lust People Love

Sunday, March 1, 2026

Savory Garlic Rice Noodles

Ever so slightly sweet and super flavorful, these savory garlic rice noodles are made with kway teow tossed in sauteed garlic and green onions with brown sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil.

Kway teow (粿條) translates to "rice cake strips" which are used in many dishes from stir-fries to soups. They are easy to prepare because no cooking is necessary. Just soak them in boiling water until they soften, drain and rinse!

In Southeast Asia char kway teow is a popular stir-fry dish made with those flat, wide rice noodles and a variety of vegetables with a mix of proteins, primarily chicken and seafood. It’s one of our favorite things to eat and the dish our younger daughter usually orders when we go to the Malaysian restaurant we love in Houston.

When our host for this week’s Sunday FunDay proposed Noodles as our theme for today, ahead of March which is National Noodle Month, I knew I wanted to use kway teow in a simple side dish that was quick to the table, with staple items I always have on hand. (It has been one of THOSE weeks, folks.) This one fits the bill nicely.

Savory Garlic Rice Noodles

Check out the photo of the kway teow under the ingredients list so you can see how wide they are – about 1 cm wide or ½ an inch. I buy them in an Asian grocery store but I have seen them randomly in the international aisle of my regular supermarket. They are also available online. This recipe is adapted from one on Budget Bytes.

Ingredients

6 oz or 170g kway teow or flat, wide rice noodles

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon reduced salt soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

4 cloves garlic

5-6 green onions

2 tablespoons butter

Optional for garnish: black or white sesame seeds or a combo!

Optional for serving: sliced fresh red chili peppers

Method

Soak the noodles in boiling water according to package instructions.

Drain well and rinse in a colander. Mine took about 10 minutes to get al dente but I’ve bought ones before that only took 6-8 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir the oyster sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil together until well combined and the sugar has dissolved.

Mince the garlic and slice the green onions, setting the green bits to one side.

Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and bubbly, add the garlic and the white part of the onions and sauté until for 2-3 minutes or until they are soft and fragrant.

Set aside some of the green bits for garnish and then add the rest into the pan and give the whole thing a stir.

Turn the heat off under the pan. Add the kway teow and toss well to coat the noodles in the buttery onions and garlic.

Add the oyster sauce mixture to the pan and toss again, once again, to coat.

Turn the heat on again low and gently warm the noodles to serving.

Garnish the noodles with the reserved sliced green onions and sesame seeds, if desired, then serve.

I also like to offer some sliced hot chili peppers alongside, for those who like things spicy!

Enjoy!

As I mentioned above, March is National Noodle Month and today we are sharing recipes to help you celebrate. Many thanks to our host, Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm. Check out the links below.

Butter Noodles from Our Good Life
Chamomile Soba Noodles from Culinary Cam
Garlic Lover's Pasta from A Messy Kitchen
Kung Pao Noodles from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Manchow Soup from Mayuri's Jikoni
Protein Packed Noodle Bowl from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Savory Garlic Rice Noodles from Food Lust People Love
Sour Cream Noodles from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
Vegan Thai Peanut Butter Noodles from Sneha's Recipe

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Sunday, February 22, 2026

Chantenay Carrot Ginger Soup

This Chantenay Carrot Ginger Soup is made with small, sweet Chantenay carrots and lots of fresh ginger, garlic and yogurt, a warming bowl of goodness.

My older sister Tanya was a huge fan of cooked carrots, often cooking up a pot of sliced ones to serve as a side dish or frankly just to eat the whole lot as a meal. I must admit that I also cooked them as a side dish but way, way more rarely. Carrots had to be just about the last item in the vegetable drawer for me to choose them as a cooked side dish.

My younger daughter was even less of a fan than I was. When I would serve cooked carrots, I’d give her a few raw carrot sticks as her side. Hey, she was eating vegetables and since they weren't my favorite either, I completely understood.

But soup? Soup changes everything. Sweet carrots roasted then pureed in delicious savory soup is perfect for rainy cold days, especially with plenty of warming fresh ginger.

Chantenay carrots are a British-grown heirloom varietal known for their diminutive size and extraordinary sweetness. Originally cultivated in the Chantenay region of Northern France as far back as the 1800s - hence the name - they fell out of favor there in the 1960s when food production became increasingly mechanized.

They are enjoying a resurgence of popularity in the UK now though. Whenever I see a bag in my local grocery store, I cannot resist buying some. They are so sweet and so cute!

Chantenay Carrot Ginger Soup

If you can’t find Chantenay carrots, substitute seasonal local carrots from wherever you live. If the internet research can be believed, smaller young carrots are sweeter than larger older ones. This recipe is adapted from one on The Mediterranean Dish.

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil

1 lb or 450g Chantenay carrots, scrubbed

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 large garlic cloves

2 in or 4 cm knob fresh ginger

4 cups or 960ml vegetable or chicken stock, divided

1/4 cup or 61g Greek yogurt, plus extra drizzled for serving, optional

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Method

Preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C and line a baking pan with a silicone liner or baking parchment for easy clean up.

Peel and mince the garlic and ginger.

Trim the roots ends off of the little carrots.

Pile them in your lined baking pan and drizzle them with olive oil. Sprinkle on a few good pinches of salt and a few generous grinds of black pepper.

Use your clean hands to toss the carrots around to distribute the salt and pepper and coat them with the oil. Spread them out in a single layer.

Roast the carrots for 20 minutes.

Stir them around and roast for another 10-12 minutes or until they are fork tender and slightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

When the carrots are cool enough to handle, place them in a blender along with the garlic, ginger and some of the broth.

Puree until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the carrot puree to a heavy cooking pot.

Add the remaining stock to the blender and give it a swish so you don't leave any pureed carrots behind. Pour that into the pot. Place the pot on medium heat and bring it slowly to a low boil.

Stir occasionally and cook for about 30 minutes or until it’s reduced slightly and the garlic odor has tempered.

Turn the heat to medium-low and stir in the yogurt and ground cumin.

Cook till it's heated through then remove from the stove.

Transfer to serving bowls and add a few drizzles of yogurt to garnish, if desired.

Enjoy!

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing dishes cooked with root vegetables. Many thanks to our host Mayuri of Mayuri’s Jikoni. Check out the links below.

Alu Kangmet - Manipuri Potato Mash from Mildly Indian
Arbi Ka Paratha from Mayuri's Jikoni
Beetroot Paneer Rice with Leftover Rice from Cook With Renu
Chantenay Carrot Ginger Soup from Food Lust People Love
Ginger Almond & Poppy Seed Vadi from Sneha's Recipe
Maple Miso Root Vegetable Medley from A Messy Kitchen
Parsnip and Leek Soup with Cumin and Mustard Seeds from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Roasted Beet Galette from Amy's Cooking Adventures
Roasties from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie from Making Miracles

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Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Coconut Cream Date Caramel

Thick, rich and naturally sweet, this coconut cream date caramel is made with Medjool dates. This no-cook recipe is fast, easy and accidentally vegan!

A couple of years back, I bought some dates to make a recipe that only called for a few. I don’t even remember what that was but it must have been worth it or I wouldn’t have bought the whole pack.

The dilemma: What to do with the rest of the dates? This coconut cream date caramel was perfect. Creamy, smooth and not too sickly sweet. Even better, it is vegan so I was able to share it with a friend who can’t eat dairy.

Coconut Cream Date Caramel

This recipe makes just a little less than 1 pint jar will hold, 1.9 cups or 450ml. The finished caramel weighs 1.23lbs or 560g. Assuming the coconut cream can has been sitting on the shelf for a while without being shaken, the thickest part of the cream will have risen to the top. That’s what you want to measure and use.

Ingredients

15 Medjool dates – about 12 1/2 oz or 355g before pitting

1/4 cup or 60ml unsweetened coconut cream from the top of the can

1/3 cup or 80ml date water from soaking

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or more to taste

Method

Use a sharp knife to cut the dates in half. Remove and discard the pits and any hard bits (adhering fruit stalks) on the stem ends.

Put the pitted dates in a heatproof bowl and cover them with hot water. Leave to soak for about 10 minutes.

Open the can of coconut cream from the bottom, if possible, and pour off the liquid and save it.

Measure out 1/4 cup or 60ml of the thick cream. Make up the correct amount, if necessary, by adding a little of the thin cream. You can use the rest in another recipe, like a saucy curry.

Drain the dates, reserving 1/4 cup or 60ml of the soaking water.

Add the pitted dates to a food processor along with the coconut cream, soaking liquid, vanilla and salt.

Process until super smooth, scraping down the food processor occasionally.

Spoon into a clean jar or covered vessel and store in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or longer. Let your nose guide you.

This is lovely spread on toast, spooned into yogurt or warmed and drizzled over ice cream.

Enjoy!

Welcome to the 3rd edition of Alphabet Challenge 2026, brought to you by the letter D. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the D recipes below: