Gochujang Peanut Butter Noodles

Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of noodle water, then drain and set the noodles aside.
400 grams thick noodles
While the noodles cook, combine the gochugaru, garlic, scallion whites, sesame seeds, sugar, peanut butter, and gochujang in a large bowl.
1 tablespoon gochugaru, 1 tablespoon garlic, 2 stalks scallion whites, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, 2 teaspoons sugar, ¼ cup peanut butter, 3 tablespoons gochujang
Heat ¼ cup neutral oil in a small saucepan or in the microwave until very hot, then carefully pour it over the sauce mixture. Stir to combine. The hot oil will bloom the spices and bring the sauce together.
¼ cup neutral oil
Add the soy sauce and reserved noodle water to the sauce and stir until smooth and well combined.
¼ cup soy sauce, ½ cup reserved noodle water
If using ground pork, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, breaking it apart, until no longer pink. Add the noodles directly to the pan, pour the sauce over everything, and toss until evenly coated.
2 tablespoons neutral oil, 1 pound ground pork
If skipping the pork, simply add the cooked noodles to the sauce bowl and toss to coat.
Garnish with scallion greens, sesame seeds, and a squeeze of fresh lime, serve warm, and enjoy!
1 lime, 2 stalks scallion greens, sesame seeds