Saturday, August 3, 2013

Update/Repost: Sesame Noodles

 

This is a recipe that I had posted last year, but I'm reposting it because: 1. I wanted to add a picture (such elegant china! heehee); 2. I've tweaked the recipe slightly; and 3. so I could expand somewhat on the cold and gluten-free versions of the recipe. Please note: I have an ounce range listed for the noodles and the vegetables because different brands come in different size packages, and it's really OK if you don't use exactly the same amount for these ingredients.


SESAME NOODLES
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes (hot) or 2 hours, 30 minutes (cold)
Servings: 12


Ingredients:
16 to18 oz. Japanese Udon or Soba noodles (or linguine pasta)
1 package (8 to 12 oz) broccoli slaw
4 to 6 oz shredded carrots
4 to 6 oz fresh soy or mung bean sprouts
6 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 tablespoons rice vinegar (white wine or cider vinegar works as well)
6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon chili sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 bunches green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted


Directions: 
  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add noodles, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. When noodles are just at the point of doneness, add broccoli slaw and carrots to pot and stir well. Drain immediately, and transfer to a serving bowl (the idea is to quickly blanch the veggies so they stay crisp, not cook them completely). Add bean sprouts.
  2. While the water is heating, prepare the dressing: add garlic, sugar, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili sauce, and ginger to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil or medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Pour sauce over noodles and vegetables, and toss to coat. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Can be served hot as a side dish or cold as a salad -- if serving cold, rinse noodles and veggies with cold water after draining, and chill after dressing for at least 2 hours; re-toss and garnish just before serving.

For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free Soba noodles (Japanese buckwheat noodles -- check to make sure they are gluten-free, as some brands are made with wheat as well as buckwheat) or rice noodles and a gluten-free soy sauce (Kikkoman and San-J both make gluten-free tamari-style soy sauce).

IF USING RICE NOODLES: Rice noodles are prepared slightly differently than wheat or buckwheat noodles. To prepare with rice noodles, place the noodles in a large heat-proof bowl or pot, and cover completely with boiling water. Stir to loosen up the noodles, and allow them to soak until al dente -- depending on the thickness of the noodles, this could take anywhere from 2 to 6 minutes (I know the lady in the video said one to four, but mine took longer). When the noodles are just about done, add the broccoli slaw and carrots to the bowl/pot to allow them to blanch (alternatively, you could put the broccoli and carrots into the colander and pour the noodle water over them). Proceed with the recipe as above.

I hope you enjoy whichever version of this you make. Feel free to tweak this recipe a bit -- maybe spice it up with a little Sriracha if you like it hot, or change up the veggies a bit (although I do not recommend using canned veggies at all -- I made this once with canned water chestnuts, and it just didn't taste as good). Be sure to let me know what yummy variations you come up with!