Cold Peanut Sesame Noodles

• servings: 6 servings
• total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Sauce

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon minced or finely grated fresh ginger

1 garlic clove, minced or grated

2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar (use agave to keep the dish vegan)

1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes or a hot sauce or chili paste of your choice, to taste

1/3 cup warm water

Noodles and Vegeta Les

3/4 pound dried buckwheat soba noodles or another noodle of your choice

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks

Half a large or two small seedless cucumbers, cut into matchsticks

1 cup firm or extra-firm tofu, cut into thicker matchsticks

3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (white, black, or a mix thereof)

Directions

Make the sauce: Either with a whisk or a blender, combine sauce ingredients except the warm water until completely smooth, then add the water a tablespoon or two at a time until you get the consistency you like. Set aside until needed.

Make the noodles: Boil in salted water as directed on the package then drain and rinse under cold water until fully cool.

Assemble: Place noodles and vegetables in a large bowl and toss with sauce to evenly coat. Transfer to serving bowl, if you’re fancy, and scatter with tofu, drizzling a little extra sauce over it. Garnish with sesame seeds and eat immediately.

Note: I usually keep the noodles in one container, the vegetables and tofu in another, and the sauce in a jar and assemble it one bowl at a time. The sauce keeps for two weeks in the fridge.