Cool Asian Noodles With Tofu Cashews And Sesame Vinaigrette Recipes

SESAME PEANUT NOODLES WITH CRISPY BAKED TOFU

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, puree 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, chili sauce, and sugar until smooth, about 30 seconds. With machine running, drizzle in hot water until sauce has consistency of heavy cream, might be up to about 5 tablespoons; set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add noodles and boil until tender, according to package directions (about 4 minutes for fresh and 10 minutes for dried). Drain into a colander, then rinse with cold tap water until cool; shake to drain excess water. Add rinsed noodles to a large bowl and toss with sesame oil until evenly coated. Add 3/4 of sauce and toss to combine.
• Divide into serving bowls and add some crispy tofu to each serving. Drizzle a little more peanut sauce over tofu. Top with chopped peanuts, scallions, and sesame seeds. Serve with cucumber salad, a lime wedge for squeezing and a few sliced radishes.

ASIAN NOODLE SALAD WITH CASHEWS

Steps:

• Mix together salad ingredients. I don't usually measure, I just keep add as much as I want of each ingredient until it looks like the picture.
• Put dressing ingredients in a jar. Shake well and pour over salad. You can also add jalapenos to the dressing if you like it spicy.
• Mix with tongs or hands and serve in a large pasta bowl. I always use my hands to mix this. It's so much easier.
• As a side salad it probably serves more like 8 - 10. But if this is all you're eating then it will serve 4 - 6.

CASHEW SESAME NOODLES

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• In a blender blend sauce ingredients with salt and pepper to taste until smooth. Sauce may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring sauce to room temperature and stir before using.
• Just before serving, in a 6-quart kettle bring 5 quarts salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti until al dente. In a colander drain spaghetti and rinse well under cold water. Drain spaghetti well and in a bowl toss with sauce and chopped coriander.
• Garnish sesame noodles with cashews and coriander.

COOL NOODLES WITH VIETNAMESE GARNISHES

Steps:

• SAUCE:.
• In a mortar, with a pestle, pound the sea salt and garlic into a paste. Add the chiles and pound to a paste. Transfer the mixture to a small mixing bowl and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, palm sugar, vinegar and fish sauce and cook, stirring , over medium low heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes.
• Cool, then add to the pounded paste, mix well and set aside.
• TURKEY:.
• In a 12 inch skillet, heat th eoil over high heat for 1-2 minutes or until very hot. Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring to separate and crumble the meat, until evenly browned.
• Add the lemongrass, curry powder and sea salt, mix well, and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and cover until ready to serve.
• NOODLE NESTS:.
• In a 6 qt saucepan, bring 5 cups water to a boil. Drop the noodeles into the boiling water and stir to separate the strands. Let boil vigorously for 2 mintues.
• Drain and rinse with several changes of cold water. Then fill saucepan with water and return noodles to pan.
• With your middle or index finger, scoop up a 1 inch bundle of noodles. Squeeze out excess water with your other hand.
• Twist the noodles into a figure 8 bundle then fold over to make a circular nest and place on a large serving platter. Repeat with rest of noodles.
• TO SERVE:.
• Place a bowl of the chile sauce in the center of a large platter. Arrange the nests of noodles on one side and mounds of the bean sprouts, green beans, fennel and cilantro on the other.
• Set a bowl of the turkey topping nearby.
• Have each guest put 3 or 4 nests on his or her plate, top with a couple spoonfuls of turkey, as well as the vegetable garnishes, then drizzle several spoonfuls of the sauce over the noodles, separating an loosening he strands so the noodles absorb the sauce.