Asian Noodles with Ginger-Cilantro Sauce

Recipes don’t get much easier than this one: a simple, fresh-tasting sauce tossed with cooked pasta. I also like to add cooked chicken for protein, and sliced red pepper and steamed snow peas for added color, crunch and flavor. I recommend making 1.5 to 2 times the sauce if you plan to add the vegetables and/or chicken. I’m a cilantro lover so I dig the combination of flavors in the sauce (cilantro, sesame oil, fresh ginger).  For the sauce I omitted the chicken broth because I didn’t want to open a can of it for such a small amount. Instead, I used a few tablespoons of water. If you do this, you may need to add a bit more soy sauce or salt, depending on your tastes. I also substituted regular ol’ dried spaghetti for the fresh noodles.

Asian Noodles with Ginger-Cilantro Sauce
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine – epicurious.com

Add chicken or pork to turn this side dish into a satisfying main course. Chopped roasted peanuts are a nice garnish.

Serves 4.

1 12-ounce package fresh oriental-style water noodles or linguine
3 tablespoons oriental sesame oil

2 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 small jalapeño chili, seeded
1 cup (packed) fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons (or more) canned chicken broth

Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain noodles. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon sesame oil.

With processor running, drop ginger and chili through feed tube and mince. Add cilantro, soy sauce, vinegar, peanut butter, 3 tablespoons broth and remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil. Process until mixture is almost smooth, adding more broth if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add sauce to noodles and toss.

Tags: Asian, cilantro, ginger, noodles, Pasta

• Advertise Here