Sesame Noodles

I made this for dinner tonight, and was reminded that it's one of my favorites. I stole this recipe from Shelley Girdner who got it from Deborah Madsen's Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone. It's a potluck favorite (she brought it to Garrett's dissertation defense cookout) and is good hot or cold. This is one of those recipes that can be a bit pricey for start-up because a few of these items aren't necessarily in everyone's kitchen, but after that, it's pretty cheap. 

You'll need:

1/4 C. sesame oil

3 Tbsp dark (or toasted) sesame oil

7 Tbsp soy sauce

3 Tbsp Chinese black or balsamic vinegar (I use balsamic)

3 1/2 Tbsp dark brown sugar

2 tsp salt

2 tsp chili oil (I use Mongolian fire oil)

1 Tbsp ginger 

1-2 cloves garlic

1/4 C. cilantro (optional)

1 bunch asparagus

1 bunch scallions

1/4 C. sesame seeds (optional)

1 package whole wheat thin spaghetti or 14 oz. pkg Chinese rice noodles (I use whole wheat pasta)

Marinade:

Combine 

1/4 C sesame oil

3 Tbsp dark sesame oil

7 Tbsp soy sauce

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 1/2 Tbsp dark brown sugar

2 tsp salt

2 tsp chili oil

1 Tbsp fresh minced ginger

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 C. cilantro, chopped

Mix together and stir to dissolve sugar

The noodles and asparagus:

Rinse asparagus and trim off woody ends (about 1/4 inch on bottom). Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a little salt and asparagus. Boil until bright green and tender firm, just a few minutes. Scoop out asparagus and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set on towel to dry.

Cook noodles according to package in the (already boiling) asparagus water. (if you're using rice noodles, make sure you pull the noodles apart with your fingers before adding to the boiling water). Strain noodles. (If using rice noodles, rinse under cold water and shake off excess water.)

Rinse and trim the "roots" off the scallions, then thinly slice scallions, including some firm greens.

Toss noodles with marinade, most of the scallions, and most of the toasted sesame seeds and asparagus. Mound them in a bowl or on a platter and garnish with the remaining asparagus, scallions, and sesame seeds. 

Refrigerate leftovers. This heats up fine, but, as I said, is also good cold. It's nice for a summer potluck (or dinner) if served cold. 

[To toast sesame seeds: You can do this on the stovetop or in the oven. If toasting on the stove top, use a wide frying pan. Heat the seeds on medium heat, shaking pan occasionally. Remove seeds when they start to darken and become fragrant (3-5 min). If doing this in the oven, preheat oven to 325 F. Spread the seeds on a baking sheet. Bake until seeds start to darken and become fragrant -- 10-15 minutes. Let cool.]