Sunday, December 2, 2012

Thai Egg Noodles with Roasted Sesame Seeds



Noodles, dumplings, and pasta of all kind are the dishes that you cannot go wrong in my home. My kids just love them (and to be honest I do too). Most often they win over any vegetable dish that I try to sneak into their diet.

My recent discovery--egg noodles with sesame seeds--a Thai cuisine recipe, turned out to be a big hit. A very simple and nutritious dish that can be made in minutes as an emergency meal. I almost always have in the pantry all the ingredients that the recipe calls for and, in a moment of desperation (e.g., when traffic complicates my schedule) I can quickly turn them into a nice dinner. Good roasted sesame seeds are available in most Asian food stores.

I use dried Thai egg noodles, but if I plan making sesame noodles ahead, I can buy in my local Asian food store fresh egg noodles, which I simply boil in the water for two minutes. Then I pour a cold sauce, mix, and serve. I sprinkle the ready to serve dish with chopped coriander leaves. My son likes to add also some chopped chives.


Egg Noodles with Sesame Seeds

Ingredients:
2 packs 8 oz egg Thai noodles (preferably round),
3 tbsp rice bran oil or sunflower oil,
2 tbsp sesame oil,
2 garlic cloves minced,
2 tbsp smooth peanut butter,
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds,
4 tbsp light soy sauce,
1 tbsp fresh lime juice,
1 green chili seeded and chopped very finely (optional, if you like it spicy),
4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves,
2 tbsp chopped spring onion,
pepper to taste.

Preparation:
1. Cook noodles according to instruction.
2. To make a sauce, in a medium bowl mix together rice bran oil, sesame oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, and peanut butter. Mix to create a smooth dressing. Add lime juice, pepper to taste, and chili if used. Mix again.


3. Drain the noodles and place them in a large bowl. Add the sauce and toss well. Sprinkle with coriander leaves and chives and serve immediately.