Peanut Noodles is our 2009 Recipe of the Year. Ever since January, when Howard started working down the street from Russo’s, he brings home a bag of fresh Chinese egg noodles every few weeks. The recipe is simple, versatile, and good to eat, a good weeknight staple. The only constant when I make this are the carrots. The rest varies based on what’s in the vegetable bin. Some crunchy vegetables are a must, and the more colors the better. Some of the vegetables I have used are: celery, peppers (red, yellow, green, orange, anything goes), bean sprouts, cucumber, broccoli. Sometimes, I add shredded chicken or cooked shrimp, but not always.

Here’s the latest combination…

Peanut Noodles
(Serves 4)
Adapted from “Asian Noodles” by Nina Simonds

• 1 lb fresh Chinese egg noodles
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Vegetables:

• 3 carrots, peeled & cut into thin strips
• 4 salad turnips, cut into thin strips
• 2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces

Garnish:

• 1 scallion, minced
• 1 generous handful cilantro, chopped

Peanut Sauce:

• Ginger, 1/2 inch piece, peeled
• 4-6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tsp hot chile paste (Sricha)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 3 1/2 Tbsp Chinese black vinegar
• 3 Tbsp sesame oil
• 6 Tbsp water

To make the Peanut Sauce, in a blender, chop ginger and garlic.  Scrape down the sides.  Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.  You can make it ahead of time.  The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Cook the broccoli until almost tender, and scoop out of the pot.  Add the noodles, and cook for 5 minutes, until tender.  Drain, then toss the hot noodles with 1 tsp sesame oil.

To serve, arrange in individual bowls.  Place noodles in a large shallow bowl.  Arrange the vegetables on top of the noodles.  Sprinkle with garnishes.  Pour peanut sauce over the noodles.  You probably won’t use all of the peanut sauce.

If you’re not serving it all at once, keep the noodles and vegetables separately.  You can microwave the noodles with the peanut sauce and then toss with cold vegetables to serve.

Other Variations:

• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2 inch lengths, then cut into thin strips
• Bell peppers, diced or cut into strips, as you prefer
• 1-2 cups bean sprouts
• 2 stalks celery, sliced thin on the diagonal
• 8-10 radishes, sliced and cut into thin strips
• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds as a garnish
• Shredded chicken or cooked shrimp (Place on top of vegetables before adding the garnish)