Chinese Sesame Noodles (麻酱面)
Check out this classic version of sesame noodles done in 10 minutes. Learn how to make the perfectly silky and tasty sauce and ingredient substitutes.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 stalk scallions finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds plus some for garnishing
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes or to taste
- 2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 2 tablespoon Chinese sesame paste see note 1 for substitutes
- 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon black rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
Noodles & vegetables
- 2 portion noodles see note 2 for weight suggestions
- ½ large cucumber cut into matchsticks
- Fresh chili pepper chopped, to taste
- Cilantro optional
Instructions
Prepare the seasonings
- Put minced garlic, chopped scallions, sesame seeds, and chili flakes into a small bowl. Heat oil until hot. Pour it over the above ingredients. Mix well.
- Add sesame paste to another bowl. Stir with a spoon while adding 2 tablespoons of water in several batches until it becomes a smooth, much thinner consistency. Be patient with this process as it’ll take some time to get the right texture (see note 3 if using substitutes). Add light soy sauce, black rice vinegar, and sugar. Mix until fully integrated.
Cook the noodles
- Bring plenty of water to a full boil. Put in noodles. Once it comes back to a boil, turn down the heat a little to avoid boiling over.
- Once cooked, transfer the noodles to a colander and rinse under running water to cool them down quickly.
Assemble the dish
- Place the noodles in 2 serving bowls. Top them up with cucumber, fresh chili, and cilantro (if using). Pour the spicy dressing and the sesame sauce mixture over.
- Give everything a thorough mix to coat each strand of noodle with the sauce. Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds to garnish.
Notes
1. To substitute Chinese sesame paste, you can use either peanut butter or a mixture of tahini and toasted sesame oil.
2. If using fresh noodles, 7oz/200g makes a regular serving. If using dried noodles, calculate 3.5oz/100g for a serving.
3. If using peanut butter or tahini + sesame oil, you may need less water to thin the sauce. Adjust as needed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 589kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 31g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2581mg | Potassium: 255mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 407IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg
