Cold Sesame Noodles
Make it stand out
There is no place like New York City’s Chinatown. From Baxter to Elizabeth and from Hudson to Worth, a penguin like me could get lost for days in the scents and sights of this unique corner of the world. No wonder its the home to one of the most scrumptious dishes I’ve ever had the pleasure of passing by my beak: Cold Sesame Noodles. Perfected by the legendary chef Shorty Tang at his restaurant Hwa Yuan, sometime in the late 1970s, this delicacy recalls the aromas of his home in the Sichuan Province with the bite of the Big Apple.
Far from retro, this dish is timeless and sure to inspire the pallets of the whole family!
Yield: 4 servings
Cook time
Ingredients prep: 20 minutes
Active Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Ingredients
Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into ⅛-inch by ⅛-inch by 2-inch sticks
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts
⅓ cup smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus a splash
3½ tablespoons soy sauce
3½ water
2 tablespoons Chinese rice vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons chile oil, or to taste
1 pound noodles such as udon or soba (you can use fettuccine past as well)
Preparation
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again. Add to large bowl and toss with a splash of sesame oil.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 tablespoons sesame oil, the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic and chile oil.
Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss.
Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with cucumber and peanuts.
