TASTE - Chilled Noodles with Chicken and Sesame Sauce (Liang Mian)

Chilled Noodles with Chicken and Sesame Sauce (Liang Mian)

By: Cathy Erway

Ingredients

Directions

For the chicken:

½ lb

chicken breast meat, julienned

½ tsp

cornstarch

¼ tsp

salt

¼ tsp

ground white pepper

For the sauce:

½ c

Asian sesame paste* *Asian sesame paste is dense and dark tan or brown in color, because the seeds are roasted before blending, unlike tahini, which is made with raw sesame seeds. Because of its deper flavor, it is more similar in taste to peanut butter, which may be used as a substitute if Asian sesame paste is not to be found.*

*Asian sesame paste is dense and dark tan or brown in color, because the seeds are roasted before blending, unlike tahini, which is made with raw sesame seeds. Because of its deper flavor, it is more similar in taste to peanut butter, which may be used as a substitute if Asian sesame paste is not to be found.

*Show Note

¼ c

soy sauce

¼ c

rice vinegar

¼ c

sugar

¼ c

water

garlic cloves, grated

2 tbsp

sesame oil

To continue:

1 lb

wheat noodles or Asian egg noodles

2 c

peeled and julienned cucumbers

1 c

julienned carrots

1 c

fresh bean sprouts (optional)

½ c

packed thinly sliced scallions

1 c

packed fresh cilantro sprigs

Chilled Noodles with Chicken and Sesame Sauce (Liang Mian)

By: Cathy Erway

Recipe courtesy of The Food of Taiwan by Cathy Erway, 2015, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HarperCollins)

This recipe, from my cookbook The Food of Taiwan, has become my go-to when cooking for potlucks and meal trains lately. Amongst a procession of casseroles, the vibrant sesame sauce coating slippery noodles topped with crisp vegetables and tender chicken provides refreshing contrast yet is still comforting and cozy. It’s also very quick to make and packs great. A win-win for the giver and givee.

Note: If you’re also making the Simple Chicken Soup with Lots of Ginger recipe, you may skip the chicken breast and step one in this recipe, and substitute it with cooked, shredded chicken from making the stock for the soup.

4-6 servings

For the chicken: In a large bowl or dish, mix the chicken with the cornstarch, salt, and white pepper. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and drop in the chicken. Once the pieces rise to the surface, remove them from the water and transfer to a plate to cool.
For the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the sesame paste, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, water, garlic, and oil until completely smooth.
To continue: Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Toss and shake out the excess water.
To serve the noodles family-style, arrange the noodles in a large serving bowl. Cover with the sauce, and scatter the chicken, cucumbers, carrots, optional bean sprouts, scallions and cilantro on top. Toss at the table to serve.

Cathy Erway

Cathy Erway is the author of the cookbooks The Food of Taiwan and Sheet Pan Chicken, and the memoir The Art of Eating In. She co-wrote Win Son Presents: A Taiwanese American Cookbook. She hosts the podcast Self Evident, exploring Asian American stories. She has won a James Beard Award and IACP award for her writing at TASTE.

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