How to prepare Sesame Noodles

Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles

Yield : 4 serving 

Time: 10  minutes

Noodles dressed with sesame are famous in many pieces of China, however this specific style, made with peanut butter and served cold, turned into a Chinese-American 

staple in the United States during the 1970s. The group of Shorty Tang - an aspiring restaurateur who emigrated from Sichuan to Taipei to New York - immovably accepts that he concocted the dish and still serve it at Hwa Yuan, the eatery he opened in 1967 in Manhattan's Chinatown. 

They have never disclosed the specific formula; this is our own lavish however reviving rendition.

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 pound noodles, frozen or (preferably) fresh
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus a splash
• 3 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Chinese rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste
• 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons chile-garlic paste, chile crisp or chile oil, or to taste
•  Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/8-inch by 1/8-inch by 2-inch sticks
• ¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts

PREPARATION 

STEP 1

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until barely tender, about 5 minutes. They should retain a hint of chewiness. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with a splash of sesame oil.

STEP 2

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil, the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic and chili-garlic paste.

STEP 3

1. Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss. Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with cucumber and peanuts.

Tip

• The Chinese sesame paste called for here is made of toasted sesame seeds; it is not the same as tahini, the Middle Eastern paste made of plain, untoasted sesame. But you could use tahini in a pinch. You need only add a little toasted sesame oil to compensate for flavor, and perhaps some peanut butter to keep the sauce emulsified.