Sesame Noodles

1/2 lb spaghetti or other noodle
1 carrot, finely julienned
1/4 head savoy cabbage, shredded, about 4 cups
1 tennis-ball sized onion, thinly sliced into half moons
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 green onions, sliced on a bias
1 Tsp toasted sesame seeds

Dressing:
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp Chinese black vinegar
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4-1/2tsp chili paste with garlic, or equivalent hot sauce, to taste

Bring a 4 quart pot of water to a boil. While you wait, whisk the dressing ingredients together. Salt water generously. Add the pasta, stir and cook until just past al dente. Drain and toss with a teaspoon of sesame oil.

Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet, sauté the onion for five minutes until just beginning to soften. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the carrot and cabbage, and cook for about another five minutes, until the cabbage is just crisp-tender, but not too soft.

Gently toss together the noodles, veggies and the sauce. Tip into a serving bowl and top with green onions and sesame seeds. Serves four as a side dish.

Cooks note: this is a great base for cooked chicken, and can be served warm, at room temperature or chilled. In fact, Hacked Chicken with Sesame Noodles is a classic Chinese dish, where the noodles are typically served chilled. This dish is also often accompanied by cold cucumber spears. I made a tofu version of this which is a great cool vegetarian summer meal.

Here I pair the noodles with rotisseried chicken, and served it warm, not hot. But these noodles also pair well with many other cooked meats or fish. My sister in law, Julie, cooks a mean sesame noodle served with Asian marinated grilled salmon - always a crowd pleaser!