Sesame Noodles

I was looking for something different; something new. I’d been eating my miso soup and my natto and my soba noodles, but now I wanted a new flavor. I was searching for something truly delicious that I could really sink my teeth into.

Steak was out, and so were lamb chops – not macrobiotic approved. So I pulled out my old Cook’s Illustrated – not a publication known for its healthy recipes, but I knew they’d give me something delicious.

Flipping through the pages of the September/October 2004 issue, I stumbled upon Sesame Noodles. These silky, crunchy, spicy rich noodles are one of my favorites and it occurred to me that I could probably make the recipe Macro friendly with only a few simple tweaks.

So that’s what I’ve done. For Macro purposes I use organic Soba noodles that are part whole wheat and part whole buckwheat and I’ve substituted the sugar with rice syrup. I still use Tabasco even though strictly speaking hot peppers are not allowed.

This one came out so delicious that it passed my ultimate test - my husband liked it. If a macrobiotic dish passes muster with him it must be something special. I serve these noodles at room temperature or cold right out of the fridge – or even better, pack them for a picnic.

A note about toasting the sesame seeds. I found a choice of sesame seeds at Whole Foods. One kind had their outer hull still on and one kind had the hull removed. I chose the sesame seeds with their outer hull still on since it seemed to be along the same lines as brown rice and other whole grains. When I went to toast them in a dry skillet on the stove I found out that as they heat up the outer skin pops (not unlike pop corn) and the seeds start flying out of the pan in all directions. So I now use a screen lid to cover the pan while I’m toasting and when they start popping I turn the heat off and let them settle down.

Sesame Noodles
(adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Sept./Oct 2004)

8.8 oz. Wheat and buckwheat soba noodles
Toasted Sesame Oil
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds
2 Tablespoons chunky peanut butter
1 medium garlic clove, pressed
2 teaspoons grated ginger
2 1/2 teaspoons shoyu (soy sauce)
1 Tablespoon brown rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 Tablespoon rice syrup
hot water
2 scallions, sliced thinly
1 medium carrot grated
1 medium cucumber (seeded, peeled, 1/8” slices)
chopped cilantro (optional)

1. Fill a 4 quart sauce pan with water and bring to a boil. Cook noodles according to package directions. When done strain and rinse thoroughly with cold water so that they will not stick. Toss with 1-2 Tablespoons of toasted sesame oil and set aside.

2. While water is boiling, heat a small frying pan and add sesame seeds. Stir and watch closely. When the seeds start popping turn the heat off and keep stirring until they have begun to cool.

3. While the noodles are cooking, in a blender combine the peanut butter, garlic, ginger, shoyu, rice vinegar, Tabasco and rice syrup. Blend until smooth. Add 1 Tablespoon of the toasted sesame seeds and blend until smooth again, scraping down the sides as needed. Add a little hot water and blend until the sauce is smooth and thin enough to pour.

3. Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss to coat. Mix cucumber, carrots and scallion. Sprinkle with remaining toasted sesame seeds. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro if using.