Oh, to be cooking again! Nothing feels better than being in your own kitchen after months of travel and eating out. Not that I mind eating out, but I love having full control over the ingredients, freshness, and healthiness of any given dish. Cooking also puts me into a serene zen-like state that staring at a huge menu cannot possibly do.

Tonight we had hot pot again, but instead of cooking noodles at the dinner table I chose instead to prepare some peanut sesame noodles beforehand. I added more peanut flavor than the Sichuan-style noodles usually have, and toned down the chili a bit. They are easy to whip up and can include as much fresh vegetables as you'd like. Although I made mine vegetarian, they also taste great with shredded meat.

Peanut Sesame Noodles

Serves 2-3 as an appetizer or side dish

4 oz thin wheat noodles (linguine works too)
30 mL (2 tablespoons) sesame oil
30 mL (2 tablespoons) chopped peanuts
30 mL (2 tablespoons) peanut oil
15 mL (1 tablespoon) ginger, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium-sized yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 medium-sized bell pepper, thinly sliced
60 mL (4 tablespoons) soy sauce
40 mL (2 tablespoons) honey
15 mL (1 tablespoon) lime or lemon juice
10 mL (2 teaspoons) chili-garlic sauce (adjust according to your spicy tolerance)
30 mL (2 tablespoons) peanut butter
45 mL (3 tablespoons) water
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook noodles until they are tender but a bit firm. Drain, return noodles to the pot, and mix in 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of the peanuts.
2. Heat the peanut oil and the remaining sesame oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-low heat. Add ginger and garlic; stir for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add onions, then bell peppers, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Mix in soy sauce, honey, lime/lemon juice, and chili-garlic sauce. Stir in peanut butter and adjust the consistency of the sauce with water to your liking.
4. Reduce heat to low and add the noodles to the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the remaining chopped peanuts. Serve either warm or at room temperature.