Years ago, I used to go to a little café where you could either order from their printed menu or from their selection of scrumptious salads located behind the front glass. I would like to say that I was adventurous and tried many of their items, but I wasn’t. Why? Because behind the glass was the most beautiful dish of long Asian noodles and loads of sesame seeds. It was love at first bite and I could never get enough.
Fast-forward to a couple years ago when I hosted an Asian-inspired party. To go along with the theme, I served a few of the dishes in Chinese take-out boxes. The one dish that I knew I would serve was the unforgettable noodles from the little café. I pulled out all of my Asian ingredients, played with the proportions and came up with my own “little café” noodles that were almost an exact duplicate. Maybe even better.
Not only do I love all the flavors of this dish but it is also very flexible. You can serve it hot, cold or room temperature, and it is incredible every way. It can be served as a side dish or a main dish by adding shrimp or chicken. Or you can put it in take-out boxes, serve it at an indoor party or take it on a picnic.
It’s also super quick and easy. Here’s what you need and how I make it:
1/4 + 1/8 c low sodium soy sauce
1/8 c natural rice vinegar
1 t sesame oil
1 T natural, unsalted smooth peanut butter
1 t garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 8 oz. package Asian style noodles (I use Dragon Chuka Soba)
2 T toasted sesame seeds
Cook noodles according to package instructions. For the Dragon Chuka Soba noodles, boil water in a medium-size pot, add the noodles and cook for only three minutes. I prefer the noodles to be al dente when they come out. Once the noodles are cooked through, drain and immediately put in a bowl of cold water. Drain again, put in another bowl of cold water and drain once more. At this point, the noodles should be cool.
While the noodles are cooking and draining, add the first six ingredients to a small saucepan and heat on low. Once the sauce is heated and well combined, turn the heat off. Transfer the noodles back into the pot and heat on low until the noodles are warm. Pour sauce over the noodles and stir gently, until all of the noodles are thoroughly coated. Add the sesame seeds and mix well again. Let the noodles sit in the pot for 5-10 minutes, so the sauce is absorbed into the noodles.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for a later time. It will be great either way.
Enjoy!
