Sesame Noodles

To me the smell of sesame is warm and inviting and makes me smile, but David likes it even more than me! So, while "Spring" continues to toy with my emotions (come on warm weather!), I felt like this would be a perfect meal. I didn't have a specific recipe, but I read a bunch online, so I decided to combine a few  and I was so happy that it turned out so tasty :) Also having everything for it already that had its perks too. Here's the recipe to try if you're interested.

Peanut Sesame Noodles

Adapted from Gourmet, June 2002

Makes 6 side-dish or 4 vegetarian main-course servings

For peanut dressing

·         1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

·         1/4 cup soy sauce

·         1/3 cup warm water

·         1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger

·         1 medium garlic clove, chopped

·         2 tablespoons rice vinegar

·         1 1/2 tablespoons Asian toasted sesame oil

·         1 tablespoon honey

·         1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes or a splash of the hot sauce or chili paste of your choice

For noodles

·         3/4 lb dried soba noodles (dried linguine fini or spaghetti will work in a pinch)

·         4 scallions, thinly sliced

·         1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips

·         1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips

·         Half a seedless cucumber, thinly sliced

·         1 cup firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed - optional

·         3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

1.      Puree dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl.

2.      Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain in a colander, then rinse well under cold water.

 

3. Add pasta, scallions, bell peppers, cucumber and tofu to dressing (I skipped the tofu!), tossing to combine. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

 

**On a very different note, I have been dipping my toe carefully in the pool of Indian cooking as of late. I am really enjoying it, unfortunately David can only take so much, so I am slowly working through the recipes I've gathered. Some he has agreed are "keepers" so I am aiming for producing more of those so we can eat it more often! :D