Making Chinese Peanut Noodles - a Tastier, Healthier Version

Mar 8, 2011
Jacqueline Church

Buckwheat soba - Jacqueline Church

Call them Dan Dan Mian or Sesame noodles. Try this recipe - so delicious you can even hide some whole grain goodness and nutrient dense veggies in it.

Some of us have a love-hate relationship with whole wheat pasta. If you're trying to introduce some healthier varieties of noodles into your diet, this recipe is a perfect and delicious way to sneak in to some nutrition. As a bonus, you will find the addition of healthy raw vegetable a delightfully crunchy foil to the creamy noodles.

"Dan Dan" is said to originate from an ancient Chinese vendor who carried noodles in one basket, and add-ins in another, carrying them on a pole across his shoulders.

Whole Wheat Grows Up

In the old days, whole wheat pasta tasted about as good as the box it came in. No longer. You know you've been meaning to add some whole grains into your diet. Here's one recipe that is so delicious, even the biggest doubters in your house will thank you. Start with this one and see how it goes. Better to make one new dish they'll enjoy with healthier pasta, than try to ban regular pasta and cause a revolt.

Two Ancient Grains

Buckwheat soba has been a staple of Japanese cuisine for centuries. It's often enjoyed in the summer, chilled. Buckwheat is low in saturated fat, high in protein, is a good source of fiber and minerals such as magnesium, copper and manganese, iron. (Somen is also enjoyed this way.)

Einkorn is an ancient whole grain. The folks at Jovial pasta have worked with Italian artisans to produce a healthy pasta with none of that old cardboard taste and texture. It's high in Thiamine, protein, fiber and B vitamins. It also contains antioxidant lutein.

Recipe: Healthy Delicious Peanut - Sesame Noodles

Serves 4.

2" fresh ginger, peeled rough chopped
5 cloves garlic
4 cloves black garlic
2 tsp chili-garlic sauce
1/2 C smooth or chunky peanut butter, as you like
1/4 C soy sauce
3 1/2 TBSP sugar
3 TBSP toasted sesame oil, plus 1/2 tsp to drizzle over noodles when just done
2 TBSP fresh brewed dark tea
2 tsp tahini
1/3 C chopped scallion
chopped peanuts

Add-ins:

Julienned cucumber, red pepper.
Red cabbage, green cabbage, diced red onion.
Ground flax seeds.
Cold poached chicken makes an excellent accompaniment.

Instructions:

In a large pot, set water to boil. This recipe makes enough sauce for 1 lb. pasta. Or two 8 oz packages of soba.
In the work bowl of a food processor, buzz the ginger, garlic and chili sauce. Add peanut butter, soy, sugar, sesame oil, tea and tahini. Blend until smooth. This is a flexible recipe, you may use all regular garlic, less ginger, as suits your taste and your pantry.
When pasta or soba are done, toss with the reserved sesame oil. Using tongs and a big bowl, toss the noodles with the 3/4 C of sauce, veggies. Add sauce, sprinkle with scallion, chopped peanuts and flax or sesame seeds. Serve chilled or room temp.

Another healthy hint:

Japanese grind sesame seeds and salt together for a condiment known as "gomashio" - literally sesame-salt. Make a healthy version by mixing white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, flax seeds and sea salt in a grinder.