Noodle salad is a versatile, easy-fix dish during hot weather

During the high temperatures, rainstorms and miserable humidity of the past few weeks, I have spent time watching the Food Network looking for inspiration. Specifically, I searched for dishes that would be filling and flavorful, and didn’t require a great deal of work. There are any number of programs on the channel that teach techniques for complex meals, but “Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street” was where I found the type of recipe I wanted.

I’m not sure which season this particular episode originally aired, but it included  versions of an Asian noodle salad that required little time in front of the stove and came together quickly. My favorite was a sesame noodle salad with chicken and scallions. I have included two recipes for this dish, the one from Milk Street and the one for the dish in the photo, both of which are delicious, but have some key differences.

The Milk Street recipe uses chuka soba noodles, similar to what we know as ramen (but not the 10 for $1 packages). Their name is Japanese for “thin Chinese noodles,” reflecting that Chinese cuisine became popular in Japan in the early 1900s. These off-white noodles are made from wheat flour and buckwheat, most commonly used in cold preparations or served hot in broth. They are sold dried and often have a wavy appearance.

During the episode, the presenter offered insight into the characteristics of these noodles, which get their golden hue from alkali salts mixed into the dough. This gives them a chewy texture because it strengthens the gluten. If all you have is Italian pasta, you can transform it into the proper consistency by adding baking soda to the boiling water. As with any cold noodle dish, be sure to rinse the cooked noodles with cool water to remove excess starch, and toss in ice cubes to keep them from continuing to cook.

Rice noodles are used in the dish in the photo. These can be softened by boiling them in a pot of water for about five minutes or by placing them in a bowl and pouring boiling water over them. After about 10 minutes, followed by a cold rinse, the noodles are ready for their sauce. You can find both of these types of noodles in the Asian aisle of your supermarket and (of course) online.

Another difference between the two dishes is how the sesame flavor is incorporated. For the Milk Street recipe, you first toast sesame seeds and then grind them to create what is known as tahini, a creamy sesame paste. In the other dish, I just added two tablespoons of tahini to the sauce mixture to save the time and effort of making my own. It’s not difficult to do, but I already had a jar of tahini in the refrigerator.

There are so many additional ingredients you can toss into either of these noodle salads to add color, texture and flavor. Consider shredded carrots, matchsticks of cucumbers or red bell pepper, or chopped snow peas. Instead of the chicken, you could substitute grilled shrimp or crispy squares of tofu. No matter how you assemble your noodle salad, it’s perfect for a hot summer day.

Sesame Noodles with Chicken*

6 T sesame seeds
1/4 C neutral oil
1 T toasted sesame oil
3 T soy sauce
3 T rice wine vinegar, plus more as needed
2 T mirin
1 1/2 T grated fresh ginger
10 oz chukka soba noodles
1 1/2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
chili oil as garnish

Toast the sesame seeds in a skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Measure 1 T into a small bowl and set aside for garnish. Add remaining seeds to the bowl of a blender and allow to cool. Add the oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, ginger and 2 tablespoons water to the blender. Process until smooth, about 20 seconds, scraping the insides of the jar as needed; set aside.

In a large pot, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, according to the package directions. Drain the noodles in a colander. Rinse under running cold water, tossing well with ice cubes until fully cooled, then drain thoroughly. Place the noodles in a large bowl. Add the chicken, sesame dressing and half the scallions. Toss until evenly coated. Serve sprinkled with the remaining scallions and reserved sesame seeds. Offer chili oil as a garnish. Yield: 4 servings. *Adapted from Milk Street.

Cold Peanut Sesame Noodles

1 lb rice noodles
1/4 C soy sauce
1 T rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 T toasted sesame oil
2 T tahini
2 T peanut butter
1 t grated garlic
3 sliced green onions 
sesame seeds for garnish

Cook the noodles according to the package directions for al dente. Drain in a colander under running cold water, toss with ice cubes and drain thoroughly. In a serving bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, tahini, peanut butter and garlic until smooth. Add noodles and toss to coat completely, Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Yield: 4 servings.