Taiwanese Cold Noodles with Sesame Peanut Sauce

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Total Time 15

Servings: 2 servings

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Taiwanese

Ingredients, 2 servings

2 servings fresh Chinese noodles or hiyashi chuka noodles cook, rinse under cold water and drain well
1 Japanese cucumber julienned
2 tbsp white nerigoma or nerigoma (白ねりごま／練りごま) replaces Taiwanese sesame paste
1 tbsp unsweetened peanut butter KALDI Skippy Chunk works too; reduce sugar if it tastes sweet
1.5 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Japanese black vinegar (黒酢) stands in for Taiwanese black vinegar
1 to 1.5 tsp sugar adjust to taste
1 tsp grated garlic fresh garlic tastes closest
0.5 tsp sesame oil plus a little extra for the noodles if needed
3 to 5 tbsp cold drinking water add gradually to loosen the sauce
a little chili oil optional

Cook the noodles, rinse them immediately under cold water to wash away surface starch, drain well, and toss with a tiny amount of sesame oil if they seem sticky.
In a bowl, mix the nerigoma and peanut butter until smooth before adding the liquids.
Add soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, grated garlic and sesame oil. Stir into a thick paste.
Add cold water little by little, stirring until the sauce emulsifies each time. Stop when it flows but still coats the noodles.
Place the cold noodles in bowls, add cucumber, spoon over the sesame sauce, and finish with chili oil if you like a little heat.

For a breakfast-shop style sauce, add a little more garlic and black vinegar.
For a convenience-store style sauce, increase the peanut butter and sugar slightly, and keep the garlic softer.
Always make a thick paste first, then dilute with cold water. This keeps the sauce from separating.
If using KALDI Skippy Chunk peanut butter, start with less sugar because the peanut butter may already taste slightly sweet.