Seasame Peanut Noodles

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chili garlic paste
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 pound linguine
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil (should be brown in color)
1 1/2 cup snow peas, thinly sliced at a slant (on a bias)
1 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup scallion greens, thinly sliced at a slant (on a bias)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1 lime, cut into wedges for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Add the chili garlic paste—it should sizzle when it is added—and cook for 30 seconds.
2. Whisk in the peanut butter and Hoisin sauce, allowing to heat through.
3. Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the rice wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce and water until smooth, reserve.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and place in a large bowl.
5. Combine Peanut Dipping Sauce with sesame oil and stir well. Add sauce to warm pasta; toss to combine. Let noodles cool slightly.
6. Add snow peas, cilantro, scallion greens, and sesame seeds to pasta. Toss to incorporate. Serve room temperature or chilled with a lime wedge.

Tip: If you don’t have access to fresh Chinese-style noodles at your local grocery store just use a good-quality linguine. Rice noodles are too fine to handle the intense sauce, so stick with a wheat flour noodle or try a buckwheat noodle. Adjust (increase) the chili garlic paste to make it spicier.