Peanut Noodles

ABIT, OR PERHAPS the lack of good Asian cuisine within close proximity, has me constantly experimenting in my own kitchen. I love anything that involves peanut sauce, which always conjures up memories of the dish my Mom always brought to potlucks, one with an unmistakably fragrant peanut and sesame sauce. Gourmet Magazine had a recipe with peanuts and noodles that seemed pretty promising, so I adapted my own version. 

Firm tofu, red bell pepper, Persian cucumbers, green onion, and garlic.

Buckwheat soba noodles.

 

Toasted black sesame seeds, chili powder, and ground ginger.

Peanut sauce--tangy and sweet. In other words, heaven.




Just like Mom's!

I used 3/4 of a brick of firm tofu, a medium sized red bell pepper, five green onions, one large clove of garlic, a few tablespoons of sesame seeds (enough to stud most of your noodles), and enough noodles to serve 4 hungry people. There are no hard and fast rules in this recipe except for the peanut sauce. Make sure to purée everything to form a good emulsion.

• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger 
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey

I aim to bake next week... so stay tuned! :)

MARGARET