Original Take-Out Sesame Noodles
This Delicious Peanut Pasta is a Longtime Favorite for Carry Out
Mar 11, 2009
When sesame noodles came to America, it was actually a step up from the Chinese food Americans were accustomed to during the period sometimes referred to as the chop-suey era. How the dish came here is not a mystery. In 1949 the Communists took over China, and many great chefs began to edge toward Taiwan with others loyal to Chiang Kai-shek, the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party. From there they moved into Hong Kong, India, and eventually, Brazil.
In 1965, America changed its immigration law and the Chinese chefs moved into New York City's East Broadway and the Upper West Side. They opened restaurants and eventually began creating a different type of Chinese food, a whole new style of preparation, but one that conformed to the American taste. It wasn't long before they began creating dishes that transformed the American palate and what was desired and expected of Chinese cuisine. Sesame noodles was one of the new creations.
The chefs dubbed this style of preparing food, “Szechuan.” It became part of the fabric of Manhattan in the 1970's and soon spread across the rest of the country, and the noodles became a standard take-out item at Chinese restaurants everywhere.
Finding the Sesame Noodle Recipe
Sadly, the original recipes are long gone and forgotten, and just as immigration has changed, so too have Sesame noodles. Now, Chinese food comes out of kitchens presided over by untrained cooks, and an order of sesame noodles is often nothing more than peanut butter stirred into pasta.
Many current great chefs have attempted to reconstruct the original dish, including Martin Yan, Marian Burros, and others, and they've come pretty close if not right on the money. While the recipe below is derived from their recipes, it is slightly simplified to make it easy for the home cook to duplicate with items usually on hand. For a little more authenticity, add ½ teaspoon chili-garlic paste, ½ teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger, use Chinese egg noodles, preferably fresh, and garnish with 2” julienned cucumber and ¼ cup chopped, roasted peanuts, but it stands well as it is and, for those who remember, tastes like the sesame noodles back in the good old days.
Sesame Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- Splash rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 & 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/3 pound spaghetti, drained and cooled
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (for garnish)
- 1 scallion, chopped (for garnish)
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes; they should still have a bit of chewiness. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with ½ tablespoon of sesame oil.
- In a large bowl, whisk all remaining ingredients, including the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil, except sesame seeds and scallions.
- Add the noodles and toss to coat thoroughly.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallion for garnish.
Adapted from Martin Yan, Marion Burrus, and Sam Sifton, Culture Editor for the New York Times.
Serves 1
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
