Creamy Cool Cucumber Sesame Noodles
Images of this simple meal echo throughout my childhood memories of Beijing, where a bowl of cool sesame noodle slurped up in the shade of a big willow tree during the blazing hot summers was the ideal way to cool down before the prevalence of air-conditioning. I still make this simple, yet undeniably satisfying, dish on a regular basis – especially when I have 5 minutes to cook dinner and is in the mood for something light yet comforting.
What you’ll need (serves 1):
- 2 tbls sesame paste or tahini
- 1 tbls sweet soy sauce (not light or dark soy sauce!)
- 1/2 clove minced garlic
- 1 cucumber, shredded
- Green onion, diced
- Ramen noodles or any other medium thick noodles
- Sesame seeds (optional)
Bring a pot of water to a boil (for the noodles). While the water is heating up, slice the cucumbers into thin matchsticks. I have horrible knife skills, so I use a shredder as it’s a lot faster and way easier!
In a bowl, combine sesame paste, sweet soy sauce, and minced garlic. If the sesame paste starts getting gummy during mixing, add a bit of olive oil to smooth it out.
Cook noodles following package instructions – fresh ramen noodles should only take around 4-5 minutes to cook.
Once noodles are cooked, rinse throughly under cold water to remove extra starch.
Toss in sesame sauce, top with a big handful of cucumber, and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.
Bon Appetit!
