Amy’s Sesame Noodle Salad

I have no idea where my ex-girlfriend got this delicious recipe from, but it’s one of my favorites, and is actually very close to a pork-containing version my mother made frequently when I was growing up. I lack an alluring picture right now, but this cold noodle dish is easy and fast to make and well worth the trip to Chinatown for the couple things you can’t find in a regular store. It actually gets better the longer it’s been sitting in the fridge (to a point, I suppose). I almost always double it.

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin (rice wine)
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tbsp sesame paste
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp chili paste
pinch of five spices powder
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped coarsely
8 ounces soba or linguini
3 scallions
unsalted peanuts

Prep

You’ll probably need to hit an asian grocer for your five spices powder, chili paste, mirin, and sesame paste. I usually just use regular linguini, although I suppose soba is probably a bit healthier.

Process

Mix everything except the noodles, scallions, cilantro, and peanuts in a small saucepan over medium heat for a couple minutes, stirring frequently just to homogenize. Boil the noodles and mix your sauce in immediately to prevent sticking. Put them in the fridge (or even the freezer, for a short time) to start them cooling. Pick the cilantro leaves and chop them just a bit. Put a bunch of peanuts in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them thoroughly. Slice the scallions at a diagonal into roughly one-inch-long pieces. Toss the cilantro, half the scallions, and half the peanuts into the salad, and then sprinkle the rest of the scallions and peanuts on top. You can eat immediately if you want, but it’s best when thoroughly cooled or even left in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.