Sesame Noodles with Bok Choy
This is the perfect dish to pack with the power of raw greens. Because you’re slicing the leaves so thinly, you can get away with serving raw the heartier greens that you’d normally feel compelled to cook before eating. Their crunch holds up against the residual heat of the noodles and the acidity of the dressing—even in leftovers. We ate these noodles on the back porch with some micheladas (a recipe recently prescribed by Texas Monthly), and incidentally the pairing is highly recommended.
Sesame Noodles with Bok Choy
Bok choy is perfect for this with its mildly sweet flavor and the succulent texture of its stalks, but feel free to sub any sturdy green. Think spinach, chard, kale, napa cabbage, even romaine.
serves 4
Ingredients:
8 oz noodles (spaghetti, or pad-thai-style rice noodles)
2 bunches bok choy
1/4 cup peanuts
1/4 cup coconut flakes (unsweetened)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
A handful of herbs, roughly chopped (we used mint and basil; cilantro would be great too!)
1 red chili, thinly sliced
2 scallions, roughly chopped
Dressing
2 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp white vinegar
Zest and juice of a lime
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp brown sugar
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 garlic clove, minced
A pinch of dried chili flakes (or to taste)
Directions:
- Add the dressing ingredients together in a mason jar, close tightly, and shake vehemently to emulsify.
- Cook the noodles until al dente, drain, rinse, and then allow the noodles to drain once more. At this point, toss the noodles with a touch of the dressing to prevent them from sticking together while you prepare the rest of the meal.
- Wash the bok choy and drain the leaves well on towels or in a salad spinner. Cut the leaves from the stalks. Chop the stalks into matchsticks. Roll the leaves together into a giant cigar, then slice into very thin strips, in order to make wispy green ribbons.
- In a dry, heavy pan over medium heat, toast the peanuts and coconut flakes (together to save time) until they start smelling delicious and just barely take on color—making sure to shake and stir so they toast evenly. Remove from heat and roughly chop. Toast the sesame seeds the same way.
- Combine the herbs, chili, scallion, and bok choy in a big bowl with the noodles and the dressing. Add most of the roasted coconut, peanuts, and seeds, reserving some for garnish.
This is one i will have to try again. The flavor was delicious, but I became impatient and threw everything into my still hot cast iron pot for that last tossing. Needless to say, it dried it out sumthin’ fierce and I had to remoisten it with veggie stock. Round two here we come!
[…] Pac Choi—a couple of our tender pac choi are the perfect addition to a Japanese noodle soup, a Chinese stir fry, or a thai curry, or this sesame noodle dish! […]
[…] curry with potatoes and onions, but they’re also great in home made kim chee, or in our sesame noodles with bok choy […]