Brave enough to try new things

I take my kids to the library about once a week in the summer. Bronwyn flies through books and is always loading up on new books to read and reread over and over again. Nicholas has been wandering down other aisles lately and has been getting recipe books for kids. He found this one book that he marked all sorts of pages. Andy looked at the pages he marked all excited to try new things. When I went over them with Nicholas he decided maybe he only wanted to try the one - Pan-Fried Ginger Noodles. We went on a family adventure to buy the ingredients and spent a Sunday lunch time all chopping and preparing our recipe. In the end... the poor kid wasn't a fan, neither was his sister, and me? I'm allergic to half of what was in there... Andy? Couldn't get enough. Good thing there were left overs because Andy gets to have a second go around, a pass for the rest of us.
I'm thankful for kids who are willing to try new things and even help in the process. Sometimes I just have to close my eyes and trust that they won't get cut or burned... and if they do - well you have to learn somehow right?

Pan-Fried Ginger Noodles
Ingredients:
1 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 1 bunch, both white and green parts)
3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari, or more to taste
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons rice vinegar or sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 ounces soba noodles, rice noodles, or thin spaghetti
2 tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil, plus more for tossing
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup / 65 grams thawed frozen peas or shelled edamame (optional)
1 to 2 teaspoons Sriracha, sambal oelek, or other hot sauce, or to taste
Juice of 1/2 lime, or to taste
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons sesame seeds or chopped roasted peanuts (optional)

Put a colander in the sink. Place a plate or sheet pan next to the sink. Set out all your ingredients.
Fill a pot with water for the noodles. Place it on high heat and let the water come to a boil while you start making the sauce (it will take a while to boil).
In a small bowl, combine the scallions, soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, sesame oil, and salt. Set aside.
When the water comes to a boil, add the noodles and cook for only half the time listed on the package directions (the noodles should still be quite firm but not breakable). Carefully drain the noodles in the colander and then, while they are still in the colander, toss them with a little oil. Spread the noodles out on the plate or sheet pan to keep them from sticking to together.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil for about 20 seconds. It will thin out as it heats, but it shouldn’t get hot enough to smoke. Add the garlic and cook until it is crisp and pale golden around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Keep an eye on it—garlic burns really quickly. If the garlic starts to turn brown, pull the pan off the heat to let it cool down for a few seconds. Add half of the scallion mixture (save the other half for later) and use a wooden spoon or tongs to fry and toss the mixture until it is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Raise the heat to high and add the noodles. Fry, tossing and mixing, until the noodles are hot and lightly coated with the sauce, about 30 seconds. Add the peas if using, the Sriracha, and the remaining scallion mixture. Continue to stir-fry until the peas heat up, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Serve garnished with the cilantro and sesame seeds.