I love the New York Times Food section – it inspires me with ideas for dishes I can veganize. There was an article a while back about the sesame noodle dish made famous by Shorty Tang in New York City. I remember making a version of these years ago with a friend for a party and loved it but never added it to the rotation. All that is about to change…
First, let’s discuss that one of the main ingredients is peanut butter. Possibly my favorite flavor and always looking for ways to incorporate it into my food. What else do I love about this dish? The cucumber topping. I am still harvesting cutie little cucumbers from my garden and so that one made it into today’s version. Of course, any cucumber will work.
Just fyi, and with all due respect to the man, I made a few adjustments to the original recipe. To veganize it, I subbed regular noodles (for the egg noodles) and tweaked the dressing to make it a bit simpler using ingredients I always have on hand.
Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles
I adapted this recipe from the famous Shorty Tang in New York City. Better than takeout, served warm or cold, up to you!
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb spaghetti, gluten-free if preferred
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1/2 tablespoon tahini
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teapoon ground ginger
- Cucumber slices, for garnish
- Chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish
- Sliced scallions, for garnish
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
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1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until barely tender, about 5 minutes; they should retain a hint of chewiness. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with a splash of sesame oil.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil, the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic and chili-garlic paste.
3. Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss. Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with cucumber and peanuts.