Cold Sesame Noodles With Cucumber Recipes

COLD SESAME NOODLES

Steps:

• Cook the noodles al dente and reserve some of the cooking liquid. Rinse the noodles with cold water and drain.
• Stir together all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Julienne the scallion, carrot, and cucumber.
• Blanch bean sprouts in boiling water for 15 seconds and put into an ice bath and drain.
• In a bowl, pour the sauce over the noodles. Add the vegetables, chopped cilantro, crushed peanuts and toasted sesame seeds on top and serve immediately, along with extra toppings like chili sauce, rice vinegar, or soy sauce.

COLD CHINESE-STYLE SESAME NOODLES WITH CUCUMBER

Steps:

• In a small bowl stir together oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes until sugar and salt are dissolved.
• In a large saucepan of salted boiling water cook capellini until tender and drain in a colander. Rinse noodles under cold water until cool and drain well.
• In a large bowl toss noodles with sauce, cucumber, and scallion or coriander until combined well and divide between 2 plates. Sprinkle noodles with sesame seeds.

COLD SESAME NOODLES WITH SWEET PEPPERS

Steps:

• For ginger juice, grate a 1-inch piece of ginger. Wrap in a piece of cheesecloth, twist both ends of the cheesecloth and, holding the package over a bowl, wring out so that the juice is squeezed through the cheesecloth into the bowl.
• In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning. You can make it spicier if desired.
• Cook the noodles. I like to cook wheat udon and soba the Japanese way. Bring 3 or 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the noodles gradually, so that the water remains at a boil, and stir once with a long-handled spoon or pasta fork so that they don't stick together. Wait for the water to come back up to a rolling boil - it will bubble up, so don't fill the pot all the way - and add 1 cup of cold water. Allow the water to come back to a rolling boil, and add another cup of cold water. Allow the water to come to a boil one more time, and add a third cup of water. When the water comes to a boil again, the noodles should be cooked through. Drain and toss with1 tablespoon sesame oil.
• Combine the noodles, pepper, cucumber, tomato, cilantro, chives or scallions and black sesame seeds in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing and serve. The salad can also be refrigerated for a few hours before serving. In this case add half the cilantro now and the rest just before serving.

COLD NOODLES WITH SESAME SAUCE, CHICKEN AND CUCUMBERS

Steps:

• Set a large pot of water to boil and salt it. If your chicken is uncooked, poach it in water as it comes to a boil; it will cook in about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, peel cucumbers, cut them in half, and, using a spoon, scoop out seeds. Cut cucumber into shreds and set aside.
• When water comes to a boil, cook pasta until tender but not mushy. (If chicken is not done, you can still add pasta; remove chicken when it is done.) While pasta is cooking, whisk together sesame oil and paste, sugar, soy, ginger, vinegar, hot oil and pepper in a large bowl. Thin sauce with hot water, so that it is about the consistency of heavy cream; you will need 1/4 to 1/2 cup. Stir in cucumber. When pasta is done, drain it and run pasta (and chicken, if necessary) under cold water. Drain. Shred chicken (the easiest way to do this is with your fingers).
• Toss noodles and chicken with sauce and cucumbers. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary (the dish may need salt), then garnish and serve.

COLD SESAME NOODLES WITH CARROTS AND CUCUMBERS

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the garlic and ginger root until finely chopped. Add the peanut butter,sesame oil soy sauce, tea, brown sugar, Siracha, red wine vinegar and process until smooth.
• Bring a stockpot of water to the boil and add the salt and cook noodlesuntil done-follow package directions.
• Drain the noodles, rinse well with cold water, drain well again and toss with the 1 tablespoon of dark sesame oil.
• Toss the noodles with the sauce and arrange on a large platter. Top with the carrot, cucumber and scallions.