Sesame Noodles with Peanuts and Basil

It feels so good to be cooking again. I didn’t know how much more eating out my stomach (and wallet) could take…

This is a great summer meal. They can be served hot or cold, and make GREAT leftovers the next day (in fact, it may have been better the next day!). We added some tofu, just to give it more substance as a main dish. We just sautéed the tofu in a bit of oil, soy sauce, and siracha hot sauce until browned.

The part about sitting 1 hour… right. If you’ve read our blog enough you’d know we’re just not that patient. So we ate these hot. Still good, and much quicker. :)

Sesame Noodles with Peanuts and Basil

Makes 4-6 servings. Recipe from Bon Appetit.

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
11/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon (or more) hot chili oil (we used Mongolian fire oil… not sure if that’s what the recipe was calling for or not.)
11/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles (about 1/16 inch in diameter) or fresh angel hair pasta
12 green onions (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted peanuts
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh Thai basil leaves (or regular basil will work just fine)

DIRECTIONS
Heat peanut oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Transfer to large bowl. Add next 6 ingredients; whisk to blend.

Place noodles in sieve over sink. Separate noodles with fingers and shake to remove excess starch. Cook in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain thoroughly and transfer to bowl with sauce. Add sliced green onions and toss to coat noodles. Let stand at room temperature until noodles have absorbed dressing, tossing occasionally, about 1 hour. Stir in peanuts and Thai basil; toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Asian Salmon Burgers with Sesame Slaw

Makes 4 burgers. Recipe from Emeril.

INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 pounds salmon fillet, skinned, pin bones removed
1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or other dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup minced scallions
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon sambal oelek chili paste (not sure what this is… we used garlic chili sauce).
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 cups shaved purple cabbage
3 cups shaved green cabbage
1/2 cup shaved red onion
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Kosher salt
6 sesame rolls or other soft hamburger buns, for serving

DIRECTIONS
Using a sharp knife, cut the salmon into 1-inch pieces and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the fish is finely chopped. (Take care not to overprocess or salmon will become a paste.) Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the panko, 1/4 cup of the scallions, 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, minced ginger, egg, sambal oelek, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the soy sauce. Using a rubber spatula, mix gently but thoroughly to combine. Divide the mixture into 6 even portions and shape into patties about 4 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate while you prepare the mayonnaise and slaw.

In a very small saucepan combine the remaining soy sauce and the sugar and cook until reduced to a syrup, 2 to 3 minutes. The soy-sugar mixture should coat the back of a spoon. Set aside to cool completely. When cooled, add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the soy glaze to the mayonnaise and refrigerate until ready to serve the burgers. (The remaining soy glaze may be kept indefinitely at room temperature and used to drizzle on grilled salmon or grilled tuna.)

Combine the purple and green cabbages, remaining 1/4 cup of scallions, the red onion, 1/4 cup of the vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro, sesame oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and crushed red pepper, and toss thoroughly to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. Refrigerate while you prepare the burgers.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, season both sides of the salmon burgers lightly with the kosher salt and add the burgers to the skillet and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides and the salmon is just cooked through, about 3 1/2 minutes per side. Serve the salmon on warm buns, garnished with the soy mayonnaise and the sesame slaw.

Better-Than-Takeout Sesame Tofu

This was a delicious treat. Quicker, cheaper, and by all means healthier than takeout chinese. We will definitely be making this one again. It would also be good made with chicken, if you’re the type that can never eat enough chicken. :)

Better-Than-Takeout Sesame Tofu

Makes 3-4 servings.

INGREDIENTS
1 package extra firm tofu
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup peanut or canola oil
sesame seeds
8 stalks broccolini

Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup water
1/8 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili paste
1 garlic clove, minced

DIRECTIONS
Cut tofu into 1/2 thick slices. Place in a 9×13″ baking pan lined with a tea towel, top with another towel followed by another baking pan. Weight with something heavy (soup cans or something), and let press for 20-30 minutes. Cut into cubes.

Coat tofu cubes in egg, then toss in cornstarch until coated and dry. Shake off extra cornstarch.

Combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes, until thick.

While sauce is cooking, heat oil in large non-stick skillet or wok. Carefully place tofu in hot oil, spacing evenly so the pieces don’t stick together. Cook (without touching!) for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom, and then carefully turn and cook other side. Continue to turn until cubes are golden on a few sides. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate.

Wipe out tofu pan and heat a drizzle of oil. Sauté broccolini, turning once, for about 2-4 minutes or until bright green and tender. Remove from heat. Return tofu cubes to pan, and pour over sauce. Stir until well coated. Serve with jasmine rice and sprinkled with lightly toasted sesame seeds.

Tofu and Sesame Noodle Salad

It’s starting to get warmer, and warm weather means avoiding the oven at all costs (unless of course, you’re baking cupcakes – that’s always allowed no matter what the temperature). We’ve been lucky so far and haven’t had to deal with a whole lot of humidity or temperatures much higher than 83, but still, warm weather is warm weather.

And it’s about this time of the year when a meal like this becomes so perfect. No oven required.

It’s healthy. It’s cheap. It’s quick. It’s meatless. It’s delicious to boot. What more could you want in a dinner? I think we’re going to start keeping a block of baked tofu on hand for ‘emergencies’, you know, when the thought of spending more than 15 minutes before you can eat is preposterous (yes, believe it or not, we have those days). Simply cook some rice noodles, chop up the tofu and whatever veggies happen to be in the fridge, whip up the dressing, and voila. Dinner.

Taylor was very impressed with the dressing – it’s a versatile sauce that could be used for just about anything asian, I’m thinking dipping potstickers or spring rolls. The agave gives it a nice sweetness without the overwhelming taste of honey or brown sugar. I’m sure you could use honey or sugar if you can’t find agave nectar (hint: look in the ‘hippie’ section of your local megamart), but it’s divine if you can.

We found this recipe on the Whole Foods website, though the meal was made entirely with ingredients from Trader Joe’s. Shh. Don’t tell.

Tofu and Sesame Noodle Salad

Makes 2-4 servings. Recipe from Whole Foods.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup reduced-sodium tamari
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons hot chile sesame oil
Salt to taste
1/2 pound dried pad thai-style rice noodles
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 small carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 (6-ounce) package baked tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
Cilantro sprigs

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, whisk together tamari, sesame seeds, agave nectar, garlic and oil to make a dressing; set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, soak noodles in a large bowl of cold water until pliable, about 15 minutes; drain well. Add noodles to boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 6 minutes. Rinse thoroughly in cold water, drain and transfer to bowl with reserved dressing; toss well.

Add green onions, carrots, cucumbers, peppers and tofu and toss gently to combine. Transfer to bowls, top with cilantro and serve.