The inspiration for this bowl of rice noodles started last night:

A pot of chicken broth was simmered. Before going to bed, I soaked the dried rice noodles in water so that this morning they would cook very fast—just 1 to 2 minutes in boiling water. There’s no need to rush.

For toppings, I chose shredded chicken and chili oil.

🥢 The chili oil is also homemade, we prefer to making it ourselves：

1. Start by placing dried chili peppers into a food processor and grinding them into flakes. Mix in sesame seeds and salt, then set aside.
2. Pour oil into a pan, add chopped scallions, and stir-fry until fragrant.
3. Remove the scallions and pour the hot oil over the chili flakes. Be careful not to overheat the oil—if it’s too hot, the chilies will burn and turn bitter.
4. Let it cool down, then store it in a glass jar—ready for use at anytime.

After blanching the rice noodles in boiling water, place into a bowl, ladled with chicken broth, and topped with shredded chicken in chili oil, diced cooked bell peppers, thinly sliced egg crepe, and a handful of crispy peanuts.

A simple yet flavorful bowl of Spicy Chili Oil Shredded Chicken Rice Noodles is complete.

That’s the joy of home cooking: inspired and fullfilled all by self. Of course, after devouring, there are left a sink full of dishes waiting there. When I cleaned them, I used to glance out from the window and often spotted a stray ginger cat regularly patrolling his secret garden like a king — It has been another kind of daily fun.