Sesame Peanut Noodles

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The days are getting colder and shorter. Our jackets and sweaters are out of their summer hibernation. Fall is here and we are promptly craving spice. Right on cue there, taste buds!

Sesame Peanut noodles are just the thing you need for a cozy dinner with a movie. A great weeknight dinner option and perfect for the lunchbox for the next day.

This recipe is adapted from Nigella Lawson’s recipe for Sesame Peanut Noodles. She treats it like a salad but I’m not terribly fond of bell peppers and spring onions in their raw form. So I stir fried them. Here’s my take on her recipe. This recipe serves four. Say hello to the cast of characters –

You’ll need –

For the dressing:

2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp lime juice (I used lemon juice, works well, but go with lime if you have it)
2 tsp (or more) green chilli sauce
A few dashes of Sriracha
2 tablespoons of smooth peanut butter
1 tbsp soy sauce

To stir-fry

2 packets (approx 300gms) of noodles (you can use egg noodles or even spaghetti)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp grated ginger
A pinch of red chilli flakes
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 small carrots, thinly sliced
A bunch of spring onions or scallions, chopped
Assorted veggies of your choice (you could add mushrooms, scrambled eggs, shredded chicken)
1/2 tsp of dark brown sugar
A few sprigs of cilantro

Cook noodles in boiling salted water, according to package directions, drain and wash the extra starch off in cold water, toss them in some oil and set aside. In another bowl, prepare the dressing by combining all the dressing ingredients together. You can make this way ahead. The longer you let it sit, the better it gets.

In a wok, heat some sesame oil, add ginger and garlic, red pepper flakes,add chopped scallions, carrots, zucchini and other veggies. Sprinkle brown sugar over them and saute. Caramelization is your friend! Add salt to season the veggies. Keep going till the veggies are tender but crisp. Add noodles and mix. Off the heat,add the dressing to the warm noodles and toss until well combined. Taste for seasoning and if required, add more Sriracha (I can really eat anything with Sriracha, crazy about that stuff). That’s about it, folks. Garnish with chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.

I topped it with  a fried egg for S’s lunchbox the next day. Yum yum!

Try this and I promise, you’re going to be making this over and over again. Enjoy! and Stay Warm 🙂