Very likely you have eaten bread with peanut butter. But have you ever thought of adding peanut butter to noodles? Sesame (or tahini) paste with peanut butter as a noodle sauce is a combination which, to my own surprise, works well.
Years back when I lived in Taiwan, I attended a weekly class and had very little time to eat my dinner after work. But I knew that if I did not eat, I would be starving by the time class ended. I looked for a quick dinner solution (I mean they have to serve it quickly but I take my time to eat) and thankfully a foodstall nearby served exactly what I needed. I always ordered the standard: zha-jiang (meat sauce) noodles + sesame noodles, together with a bowl of porkball miso soup. This combination was very satisfying, especially on a rainy day, though I have to admit sometimes it made me sleepy in class.
A few days ago, I suddenly had a craving for sesame noodles. Very likely it came from hearing a friend mentioned it. I found some buckwheat noodles (zaru-soba) at home which seemed like a good match and set out to make some sesame sauce.
The traditional chinese method only uses sesame paste as the sauce base. However, along the way, some genius discovered that adding peanut butter takes it to the next level....I tried both methods and definitely vote for the peanut butter addition. The rich, creamy and fragrant sauce is quite an indulgence.
This dish is quite simple to make - cook the noodles, mix the sauce, add some cucumber (and if you wish some chicken) and there you have it. Sesame noodles is commonly eaten as a cold noodle dish.
SESAME NOODLES RECIPE
Serves: 2-3
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Ingredients:
12 oz soba (or any type of cold noodles)
2 tsp sesame oil
Chicken fillet or breast (optional - steamed and shredded)
Cucumber (julienned - cut into thin strips)
Sauce ingredients:
3 tbsp sesame paste (from Asian supermarket) or tahini paste
1 tbsp peanut butter (if you do not have peanut butter replace with sesame paste)
1.5-2 cups water
3 tsp sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
3 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp black vinegar
Pepper or chilli oil (to taste)
2 cloves garlic (optional - mince and add this if you enjoy the extra kick)
Boil noodles in hot boiling water and when cooked, rinse under cold water. Drain water well, add 2 tsp sesame oil, toss the noodles and set aside.
Cut cucumber into thin strips.
If you wish to add chicken, boil or steam then shred the chicken (chicken fillet or breast is fine).
To make the sauce, first add water slowly (over 4-5 times) to sesame paste and keep stirring. This will better integrate sesame paste and water. Use 1.5 cups of water first, and if it looks too dry, slowly add up to 1/2 cup more. Once you have a smooth paste, add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Taste and adjust saltiness as needed. The sauce will be slightly diluted once mixed with noodles, so it is fine if it has a strong taste.
To serve, plate some noodles, top with cucumber, chicken and sesame sauce.
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