Cold spicy noodle salad with veggies, peanuts and sesame

Cold noodle salads are popular across South East Asia and prepared in Japan, Myanmar, China and Japan.
This easy to make salad can be prepared with leftover vegetables, meat of fish and or tofu. You can use a variety of noodles including wheat and rice based products. Wheat Soumen and Buckwheat Soba noodles are ideal but you can also use Chow mien Lo mein, Korean Japchae (sweet potato) and some varieties of rice vermicelli noodles. Ramen noodles and what pasta are not as suitable.

Serves 3

For the sauce-
100-120 grams Soumen or soba noodles
1 tablespoon freshly ground ginger root paste
3 tbspns chunky peanut butter
3/4 cup orange juice
4 tablespoons hot sesame oil or use plain sesame oil and 1 bird chilli finely chopped
1/4 cup light low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds
Juice of 1 lime
Zest of one lime
100 grams diced pan fried tofu or shredded chicken or cooked shrimp

For the vegetables
1 cup finely chopped red cabbage
1/2 cup finely sliced green onions with stems
1/2 cup peeled and shredded carrots
1/2 cup shelled, steamed edamame beans (cooked green soy beans)
Sprigs of cilantro or chopped Chinese chives and lime wedges to garnish
salt and pepper to taste

Method
Set a stock pot of water with a pinch of salt to boil on a high flame.
Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a large mixing bowl and whisk until fully incorporated.
Taste for salt and pepper. Add more honey for a sweeter sauce and a hot sauce of your choice for a spicier one.
When the water is hot add the noodles and cook until just done but still a little firm. Follow instructions on the noodle packet as cooking times vary for different kinds of noodles. Drain the noodles and toss immediately with the sauce.
Add all the vegetables and toss again. Adjust for spicy, sweet and salt.
Cover and chill.
Remove from the fridge, add a little liquid to loosen the noodles if required. Garnish with lime and coriander leaves.
Serve cold.

CHINESE STYLE MEATBALLS IN A SWEET AND SPICY ORANGE SESAME SAUCE WITH WILTED GREENS

 

 

CHINESE STYLE MEATBALLS IN A SWEET AND SPICY ORANGE SESAME SAUCE

YOU CAN SERVE THESE MEATBALLS WITH ALMOST ANY KIND OF NOODLE. YOU CAN ALSO USE A WIDE VARIETY OF GREENS. THE MORE TENDER THEY ARE THE FASTER THEY WILT. THIS IS A HOME STYLE DISH SO ADAPT IT TO WHATS AVAILABLE IN YOUR PANTRY.  I ALSO USE LEFTOVER SAUCES FROM CHINESE TAKE OUT- THE CHILLI VINEGAR, SOY SAUCE AND RED CHILLI PASTES YOU OFTEN GET.

 

CHINESE STYLE MEATBALLS WITH WILTED GREENS

FOR 8-9 MEATBALLS COMBINE IN A MIXING BOWL

  • 1/2 KG FINELY MINCED CHICKEN
  • 2 TBSP FINELY CHOPPED GREEN OR REGULAR WHITE ONION
  • 1 TBSP MINCED GARLIC
  • 1 TSP FERMENTED RED CHILLI PASTE
  • 1 TSP CHILLI VINEGAR
  • 1/2 TSP SALT
  • 1 TBSP FINELY CHOPPED PARSLEY OR CHIVES OR USE FRESH CORIANDER IF IN A JAM

TO ROLL MEATBALLS

  • 1/4 CUP WHITE SESAME SEEDS
  • 1 CUP CORNFLOUR
  • VEGETABLE OIL FOR FRYING

FOR SAUCE WHISK IN A BOWL

2 CUPS PACKAGED ORANGE JUICE

  • 1/2 CUP SOY SAUCE
  • 1-1.5 TEASPOON FERMENTED RED CHILLI PASTE OR TO TASTE (THE KIND TAKE OUT GIVES YOU!)
  • 1 TSP DARK HONEY OR TO TASTE
  • 1 TBSPN FRESH GARLIC  PASTE
  • 1 TBSPNS FRESH GINGER PASTE
  • ZEST OF ONE ORANGE PLUS USE THE JUICE ALSO
  • 1 TSP WHITE PEPPER POWDER
  • 1 TBSP OYSTER SUACE OR USE MORE SOY SAUCE
  • 2 TBSPNS TOASTED SESAME OIL (REGULAR SESAME OIL IS FINE TOO)
  • 2 TBSPNS CHILLI VINEGAR
  • 1 TBSPN CORNSTARCH

TO SAUTE

  • 2 GREEN ONION STALKS AND BULBS FINELY SLICED
  • 1 TSP VEGETABLE OR PEANUT OIL
  • 2-3 HEADS OF TENDER BABY BOK CHOY/ 1.5 CUPS OF WATERCRESS/MIZUNA/ROCKET

 

METHOD

  • LIGHTLY SAUCE GREEN ONIONS IN A SKILLET WITH OIL. SWITCH OFF FLAME AND ADD THE SESAME ORANGE SAUCE, RESERVE.
  • ROLL CHICKEN MEATBALLS AND PLACE ON A TRAY OR PLATE.
  • IN SMALL BOWL COMBINE SESAME SEEDS AND CORN FLOUR
  • SET A SKILLET WITH ATLEAST 1 INCH OIL TO HEAT.
  • ROLL MEATBALLS IN SESAME AND CORNSTARCH AND FRY UNTIL GOLDEN IN HOT OIL. DRAIN AND PUT INTO THE SESAME ORANGE SAUCE.
  • START THE FLAME ON MEDIUM AND SIMMER THE MEATBALLS UNTIL THE SUACE IS REDUCE TO HALF ITS VOLUME. ADD A LITTLE CORNSTARCH TO THICKEN THE SAUCE.
  • PLACE THE GREENS IN A WIDE SERVING DISH. POUR THE PIPING HOT SAUCE AND MEATBALLS OVER THE GREENS. THE HEAT WILL WILT THE GREENS. IF YOU PLAN TO USE LARGER BOK CHOY THEY TEND TO TAKE LONGER TO COOK SO PARTIALLY BLANC THEM IN HOT WATER. MORE TENDER GREENS LIKE WATERCRESS, ROCKET AND MIZUNA WILT QUICKLY.
  • SERVE WITH NOODLES OF YOUR CHOICE.