Asian Sesame Noodle Salad with Peanuts

For our Chinese New Year dinner, my friend Alicia prepared this delicious vegetarian dish. It has a nice creamy and nutty flavor from the use of peanut butter and peanut garnish.

Asian Sesame Noodle Salad with Peanuts
recipe adapted from Recipezaar

Peanut Dressing:
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup tamari (or use soy sauce)
1/3 cup warm water
2 tablespoons peeled fresh ginger, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (or use red wine vinegar)
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon crushed chili pepper flakes (or to taste)

Noodle Salad:
3/4 lb linguine (or use vermicelli or thin spaghetti)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup toasted peanuts, chopped
1 lime, quartered for garnish

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender; drain and rinse well under COLD water, then toss with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, transfer to a large bowl, then add in the red bell pepper and green onions.
Using a blender puree all the dressing ingredients until smooth (about 2 minutes).
Just before serving pour the dressing over the cooked pasta and veggies, then add in the toasted sesame seeds; toss well to combine.
Top with toasted peanuts and quartered lime for garnish.

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Pad Si Ew

The following recipe was featured for my Thai Cooking Class. You can read and view other recipes from the class HERE.

Pad Si Ew
(sweet soy sauce noodles)
Joelen's recipe

1 onion, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons oil
1 lb sliced chicken, pork or beef (your choice)
4 tablespoons black soy sauce
4 tablespoons regular or lite soy sauce
2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 package wide rice sticks (pho noodles)
2 cups frozen broccoli

To prep rice sticks, boil water in a dutch oven. Once water has come to a boil, turn off heat and place dried rice sticks into the water. Let it sit for 5-7 minutes until it softens. Drain & set aside.

In a large wok, heat oil. When hot, add onions & garlic.
Once onions have softened, add meat (chicken, pork or beef) and saute for 3-5 minutes.
After 3-5 minutes, add soy sauces and sugar.
Stir and reduce until sauce is slightly thick, about 5-7 minutes.
Add broccoli & toss to heat through.
When broccoli is heated through, add drained rice stick and toss gently.
To serve, place noodles on platter and garnish with fresh bean sprouts, crushed peanuts and/or sliced green onions.

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Wasabi.. not only for Sushi!

In an attempt to use up some leftover wasabi, I decided to make a sushi inspired sauce combining wasabi and soy sauce. I call this, shrimp with wasabi soy noodles.Here's my recipe:

1 lb large raw shrimp
1/2 package Shanghai egg noodles

2 cups water

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon wasabi
1 tablespoon sugar
splash of mirin
splash of sesame oil
1/2 cup julienned green beans
1 tablespoon slivered almonds

In a wok, add water & shrimp.

Cook shrimp until pink.

Add remaining ingredients except noodles, beans and almonds.

Allow shrimp to simmer and absorb flavors.
Remove shrimp and set aside.

Add noodles and cook until softened and sauce is absorbed.

Add beans and almonds; toss to coat.
Serve noodles with shrimps on the side.

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