Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles

Adapted from Hwa Yuan, New York / Photo credit Craig Lee, NYT

4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound Gluten Free noodles, frozen or (preferably) fresh
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus a splash
• 3 ½ tablespoons tamari 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

Instructions

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.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil, the tamari sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic and chili-garlic paste.
3. 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.