Cold Sesame Noodles, Without Oil

By the Gracious Vegan

I finally discovered the secret to “real” cold sesame noodles: it’s the Chinese sesame paste. There isn’t a good substitution. If you have access to an Asian grocery store, that’s your best bet, but you can find it online as well. I owe this find to Sam Sifton of the New York Times and his recipe for Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles. I adapted and tweaked his recipe to remove the oil. I added options for whole wheat noodles and dates instead of sugar. The flavors recall the best sesame noodles from Chinese restaurants, without the greasiness you can sometimes get.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until barely tender, about 5 minutes. (If you choose whole wheat noodles, it may take longer.) Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and pat dry with a paper towel.

• 9 ounces dried chow mein noodles (or other noodles that don’t contain eggs)

In a medium bowl, small blender, or food processor, whisk together the remaining ingredients.

• 5 Tablespoons soy sauce

• 4.5 Tablespoons Chinese (roasted) sesame paste

• 1.5 Tablespoons water

• 3 Tablespoons smooth peanut butter

• 2 Tablespoons sugar (or 3 Tablespoons date paste)

• 1.5 Tablespoon Chinese rice vinegar

• 1.5 Tablespoon finely grated ginger

• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic (3 medium cloves)

• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon chili-garlic paste, or to taste

Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss. Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with

• Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/8-inch by 1/8-inch by 2-inch sticks

• 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts

If you will not be eating the noodles right away, store the sauce and noodles separately so that the noodles don’t absorb all the liquid in the sauce. The components will last in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Do not freeze.

Timing: less than 30 minutes

Gluten-free if you use gluten-free noodles