Cold Sesame Noodles

Ingredients

• 4 cups chopped fresh crunchy raw vegetables: snow peas, bell peppers, cucumbers, scallions, carrots
• 12 ounces fresh Chinese egg noodles or long pasta like linguine
• 1⁄2 cup tahini, peanut butter or a combination
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon rice or white wine or other vinegar
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (optional)
• Hot sesame oil or Tabasco sauce to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Prepare the vegetables: trim, seed, peel as necessary and cut into bite-size pieces. Reserve in a container until ready to use.
2. Cook the noodles in the boiling water until tender but not mushy. When they’re done, rinse in cold water, then toss with a little sesame oil. Store in one or more containers.
3. Whisk together the sesame oil and tahini, sugar, soy, ginger, vinegar, hot oil and pepper in a large bowl. Thin the sauce with hot water until it’s about the consistency of heavy cream; you will need 1/4 to 1/2 cup per serving; store as desired.
4. When you’re ready to eat, toss a portion of the noodles and a portion of the vegetables; top with sauce and stir to coat.