Nutty Noodles


March 2, 2007, midnight | By Julie Zhu | 17 years ago

Vegetarian or carnivore, oriental peanut noodles are a delight


Chinese recipes are always hard to come by since, apparently, most Chinese chefs have completely done away with any form of measurement. The number of swift shakes of the salt shaker replaces the use of tablespoons and teaspoons. Oil is measured only by the area it covers in the frying pan. Oriental cooking is all about improvisation, flinging spices, herbs and hopefully not msg in the air at whim. But on certain occasions, Chinese moms can be tracked down and forced to be precise about their pinching, flinging, dashing and pouring. Here is one of my favorite summer dishes:

This chilled dish is a delight from the Far East. photo courtesy of www.nutrition.org.uk


Prep time is about 15 minutes. Makes 2 servings

Kitchenware:
- 1 pot for boiling
- Chopsticks
- 1 bowl for mixing sauce

Ingredients:
- 1 lb spaghetti or Udon noodles (preferred)
- 1/4 cup sesame oil
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 stick of butter
- 1/3 cup tamari soy sauce
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (may omit)
- 1 1/2 tbsp light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 1 cucumber — peeled and sliced finely
- 1/2 lb of cooked chicken, either cubed or shredded (omit for vegetarian dish)
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
Preparation:
1. Cook the spaghetti or udon following the instructions on the box. Drain and rinse under cold water.
2. Using your hands or chopsticks, toss the noodles with half of the sesame oil and chill until peanut sauce is ready.
3. To make the peanut sauce, combine all the other ingredients, including the remaining sesame oil, except the cucumber, scallion, chicken and water.
4. Beat the mixture and slowly add water bit by bit until it is creamy and smooth.
5. Before serving, toss the noodles with the peanut sauce and add in the cucumber, scallions, and chicken.
6. Serve with SCO's bubble tea.




Julie Zhu. Despite her innocent appearance, Julie Zhu is a demon at heart. She enjoys fire breathing, serial commas, (,!) and eating the remains of art staffers. Warning: Don't be surprised if you see her busting a move in the 260s hallway. More »

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