the new summer go to recipe … Cold Sesame Noodles

I love a good cold Asian noodle dish – peanut noodles, sesame noodles, cold soba noodle salad. They are perfect as the weather heats up; cool, refreshing, filling and easy to make without heating up the kitchen. But I’ve never quite gotten the recipe right on my own. The flavor is always slightly off, the mixture sticky and gloppy. I made them but I never really enjoyed them. About this time last year, I posted a Vietnamese steak and peanut noodle salad that I loved, thought I had finally nailed it. But then I tasted these noodles and realized this version is better. Dang it.

It came about rather serendipitously. One day, a New York Times recipe for Take-Out Style Sesame Noodles popped up in my feed. No big thing I thought, but I clicked through anyway and was instantly intrigued. It seemed my focus on peanut butter in the sauce was all wrong. The key ingredient in this one is a Chinese sesame paste, something I was not familiar with. It’s not at all like the Middle Eastern tahini we all know and love, which is made from plain untoasted sesame seeds. The Chinese version is made from toasted sesame seeds and gives the paste a completely different, and wonderful, flavor. This makes sense as my peanut butter sauces never quite tasted right and were far too thick and pasty. I needed that toastiness from the Chinese sesame paste and the generous additions of soy, rice vinegar and sesame oil. It seems so obvious now.

Chinese sesame paste, or sauce, is absolutely worth seeking out. And seek out I did – for some reason 3 of my neighborhood Asian markets were sold out. Was everyone making this recipe and no one told me? How could three stores be sold out of a Chinese sesame paste I’d never heard of? It was weird. I eventually found it, because by the second strike out I was obsessed, and in the meantime had the opportunity to pick up all those other ingredients you can find easily in Asian markets: the chewy fresh egg noodles, super fresh ginger and yet another jar of sambal, that garlic chile paste I throw in damn near everything.

What a flavor! The toasted sesame paste gives the sauce a deep nuttiness that is quite good, with a little zip and brightness from the vinegar, ginger and chile paste. It is now my new go to noodle sauce, no question.

The original recipe was quite simple, just cucumbers and a handful of peanuts to garnish. I like a bit more so I quickly blanched some julienned carrots and tossed them into the sauced noodles with the cucumber and a sliced scallion for good measure. I think some poached, shredded chicken would be quite wonderful too and boost the dish to more of a main dish.

A quick word on the noodles used. Fresh Asian noodles, whether egg or wheat, are almost as important here as the Chinese sesame paste. Seek out an Asian market and head directly to the refrigerated section where you should find a pretty large selection of fresh noodles. For egg noodles, you might find lo mein (which I prefer), won ton noodles, fresh chow mein or maybe you’ll see thick wheat noodles, which I like a lot too. Fresh udon will do in a pinch. Be aware, fresh noodles tend to be very long – you may want to cut them to a manageable length before cooking. If you have to use dry noodles, go for an Asian variety – somen or buckwheat soba – but these are much thinner and won’t have the same chew.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: COOL COMFORT. Here’s the thing: this is delicious, filling, easy to whip together once you track everything down and the most important part – it doesn’t heat up the kitchen. When the temperatures reach 90°F plus, this is critical. I could eat these noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And I did.

Eight years ago: Chino Farms Strawberries
Seven years ago: Cobbler & Cabining Annoyances
Six years ago: Puff Pastry Asparagus Spears, Rhubarb Syrup, Hipster Cocktails, Late Spring Pea Soup
Five years ago: Pear Frangipane Tarts
Four years ago: Frybread for Navajo Tacos, Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Vanilla Cardamom Roasted Rhubarb, Mexican Chocolate Pudding Pops, Lime Angelfood Cake
Three years ago: Guinness Crème Anglaise
Two years ago: Mango Lassi Freezer Pops, Pickled Green Strawberries
Last year: Date Shake Popsicles, Vietnamese Flank Steak with Peanut Soba Noodles, Lemon Ricotta Doughnuts for National Doughnut Day, Apricot Date Bars

COLD SESAME NOODLES – ever so slightly adapted from this NYT recipe
Makes 4 servings
You can add additional vegetables if you like – small mushrooms or Asian type greens would be nice – or even some shredded chicken, beef or tofu to make this more of a main dish.

1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles (1/8” thick), available in Asian markets
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 or almond butter
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon finely grated ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons chili-garlic paste (sambal), or to taste

½ cup julienned carrots (1/8” x 1/8” x 2” sticks)
¼ seeded cucumber, julienned (1/8” x 1/8” x 2” sticks)
¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Add the carrots and cook for 1-2 minutes until just barely tender.
3. Remove with a strainer, place in a bowl and bring the water back to a boil.
4. Add noodles and cook until barely tender – they should retain a hint of chewiness, about 1-5 minutes (check the package directions; some noodles are fully cooked);.
5. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with a splash of sesame oil. Set aside.
6. In a large cup or the blender, add the 2 Tablespoons sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, sugar.
7. Give the mixture a few quick buzzes with an immersion blender or on high with a regular blender, until emulsified, smooth and well blended.
8. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the ginger, garlic and chili paste. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
9. Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss (honestly, your hands work best).
10. Add the carrots, cucumbers, half the peanuts and toss again until combined.
11. Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with the remaining peanuts.
12. Chill for at least an hour or up to one day.