Sesame Peanut Noodles

Tags

Noodles, Peanuts, Salad, sesame

Happy New Year everyone !!! I had pretty good 2013 and hope you have had the same experience. Here wishing everyone the same for 2014 !!!

I know that Indians traditionally make a sweet to celebrate the new year but I have come to the realization that in my house if I make a sweet, the kids will eat a couple of bites but the remaining will be eaten by V and myself !!!! Not a good thing when you are trying to combat a history of diabetes in your family and lose weight, which of course , is an ongoing battle in my case !!!! So I decided to go the savory route and make Sesame Peanut Noodles. Technically I made it the day before the New Year but who cares ?? It was a hit with all my relatives !! In fact my cousin recreated it for her family today !!! Did I mention that I had a lot of family visiting me during the winter break or that I met a lot of my family over thanksgiving ??? I had so much fun, I cant wait to do it again, though I probably will end up visiting them ……….I want to be the one on vacation !!!!

I saw this recipe on TV . It apparently was created by a restaurateur, Shorty Tang in NY, Hwa Yuan , 40 years ago. The restaurant closed in the 80s but the dish is still remembered !! When an article about the restaurant and this dish in particular, was published in 2007, it renewed the interest and prompted his grandsons to bring it back in 2011 at Smorgasburg, a weekly food fest in Brooklyn, NY. The recipe intrigued me..some ingredients are typically Chinese but some are definitely not !!!!! Did you know that the Chinese always make noodles on a birthday ….they believe that the longer the noodles , the longer your life span !!!! Silky smooth noodles encased in a smooth nutty , fragrant sauce that has heat, sweetness and tang !!! What more can a person ask for ???? My taste buds do the happy dance every time I eat this !!!!

I know I always say this but….. this is easy to make……..easy but so delicious !!!!! It is very straightforward to make but full of flavor . You hardly work up a sweat………..cook some noodles, while that happening, whisk a few things together and throw it all together…..voila, dinner or lunch !!!!! I used Japanese Udon Noodles as that was what I had at that time , but Chinese noodles or thin spaghetti also works great . I have used both. Lets face it, Udon noodles are the most healthiest option, anyway !!  The original did not have any veggies other than spring onions but I like using either peppers or cucumber or shredded carrots……sometimes all of them. They add crunch and freshness. You are supposed to use a Chinese sesame paste but I do not have access to it so I used tahini, which is easier to mix than the other sesame paste. I also used Sriracha, which adds a sweetness , yes sweetness, and a garlicky heat . I suppose you can use any other red chili paste. Also use dark sesame oil , which adds a deeper flavor and is more fragrant than light coloured sesame oil. I generally buy it from the Asian section of a normal supermarket, the one sin the Indian store are lighter. You can store it in your fridge and it will not spoil fast. Now there is one thing to remember when you make this dish….it is best served at room temperature.

Here’s to a great 2014 filled with health, happiness and laughter !!! Enjoy !

SESAME PEANUT NOODLES   12 oz Soba Noodles 3 tbsp. Sesame seeds ¼ cup loosely packed Cilantro leaves 2 Spring Onions, sliced on the diagonal 1/3 cup thinly sliced orange and yellow Bell Peppers   Peanut-Sesame Dressing: 1/3 cup smooth Peanut Butter 1 tbsp. Sesame Oil 2 tbsp. Soy Sauce Zest and juice of 1 Lime 1 tbsp. Canola Oil 1 tbsp. Honey 1 tbsp. Sriracha 3 tbsp. Tahini 3 tbsp. or more warm Water 1 tbsp. Grated Ginger   Toast the sesame seeds till light golden in color. Set aside. Cook the noodles in boiling water till al dente. It should have a slight bite to it. Set aside 1/3 cup of the starchy pasta water. Rinse the noodles in cold water and set aside. For the dressing, mix together all the ingredients except the water. Now, add the warm starchy pasta water,1 tbsp. at a time until it is thick but pourable . Place the noodles and veggies in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve at room temperature.

This is off to Kid’s Delight – Cooking with whole grains at My Cooking Journey  and Feel Good Food at A Kick at The Pantry Door. This is also off to Flavours of the world -Grand Finale at Simply Sensational Food and Dish-It-Out -Light Dinners at A Bowl of Curry.