Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the brown rice noodles according to the package directions. The noodles should be tender but still pleasantly chewy, not mushy.

Mince the garlic, then place it in a saute pan with 1 tablespoon oil and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes. Watch for the garlic to turn lightly golden and smell mellow, not sharp or burnt.

Add the fresh grated ginger and cook for 1 more minute, then take the pan off the heat. The pan should smell warm, fragrant, and a little toasty from the garlic and ginger.

Add the creamy peanut butter, low sodium tamari or soy sauce, 1/3 cup hot water, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sriracha, maple syrup or honey, red pepper flakes, and chili garlic sauce (Optional), then whisk until smooth. The sauce should look glossy and pourable, like heavy cream, so add more hot water as needed.

Taste the sauce and adjust with more soy sauce, sriracha, or other seasonings if needed. You want a balanced flavor that tastes savory, nutty, tangy, and just as spicy as you like.

Add about half of the sauce to the cooked noodles and toss to coat. The sauce will look a little loose at first, then thicken quickly once it hits the hot noodles, so mix right away.

Serve the noodles with crushed peanuts, scallions, and extra red pepper flakes if you like. The finished noodles should be glossy, well coated, and easy to slurp without a puddle of sauce at the bottom.