Cold Sesame Noodles

I don't remember having cold sesame noodles till I moved to Manchuria - it was when I was living there that they became a summertime favorite. The winters are cold in northeastern China, but the summers are sweltering and these noodles were a gift on hot, sweaty days at work. (Air conditioning was not much of a thing where I lived.) My favorite wonton restaurant had a delightful version of this dish with chilled wontons - if you have a brand you like, try adding a couple to each serving. Even without wontons this dish is gorgeous, however!

I've used Lucas Sin's great recipe as a guide, but I've added a couple of things to bring these closer to what I remember from China. (The cucumber especially is a must!) I hope these lovely noodles bring you the same relief from the heat they do me!

Cold Sesame Noodles

(4 servings)

Ingredients

320g / 11oz of plain ramen noodles or Thai rice stick noodles

1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil (as needed)

1/2 cup of Chinese sesame paste

1 cube of fermented tofu*

5 cloves of garlic (minced/crushed)

1/4 cup of light soy sauce

1 tablespoon of sesame oil

3 tablespoons of sugar

2 tablespoons of black vinegar**

1/2 tablespoon of dark soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon of mayonnaise

1/4 cup of water (or as needed)

1 long cucumber, julienned or slinkied (to garnish)

2 green onion stalks (sliced)

Chinese chili oil (to garnish)

Toasted sesame seeds (to garnish)

*I'm guessing this will be cheaper at your local Chinese or East Asian supermarket than it is on Amazon.

**Rice vinegar would work in a pinch, but black vinegar has more flavor going on!

Directions

1) Prepare the noodles as directed on the package. If they're wheat noodles, after draining toss them with the smaller amount of sesame oil (to prevent sticking) and place them in the fridge to cool. If they're rice noodles, rinse in cold water and then do the same (toss with a little sesame oil and chill).

2) When your noodles are getting cold and you're getting hungry, whisk together the sesame paste and furu in a small bowl until smooth before incorporating the remaining sesame oil and garlic, light soy sauce, sugar, black vinegar, dark soy sauce, and mayonnaise. Add water little by little to form a thin, silky sauce. (If you're happy with the consistency of the sauce feel free not to add all the water.)

3) To serve divide the noodles between four bowls, then drizzle with the sesame sauce, garnish with the cucumber, green onion, chili oil, and sesame seeds, and enjoy!