Buckwheat Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Vegetables

My family just went to the Fairway Market with me this morning. I like to browse around and see what looks great and build my meals around those ingredients. It's a lot of fun that way. There are great organic vegetables on the second floor. The fruit and vegetable guy, Tino, is always cheerful with me and knowledgeable about what is in the best shape and is happy to share that with me and when the next shipment will arrive. While I was shopping I got in the mood for, you know, the Chinese take-out cold noodles with sesame sauce. I wanted it to have a lot of vegetables and I wanted to use buckwheat noodles. I knew I had all of the sauce ingredients in my cupboard, but I needed the vegetables and the buckwheat noodles. I picked up what pleased me the most and we got it home and I went to work. Here is what I came up with. We all enjoyed it very much for our Sunday lunch. It is easy to make and far better than the take out variety, if I do say so myself!

Ingredients

For the sauce

1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/2 pinch red pepper flakes
1 Tbs. brown rice vinegar
1 Tbs. agave sweetener
1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil
2 Tbs. peanut butter
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tbs. water

For the noodles

7 oz. package buckwheat noodles
1/2 red pepper cut into thin strips
3 scallions cut thin on the bias
1/2 cucumber peeled and cut into thin strips
2 carrots cut into thin strips
1/2 bunch broccoli trimmed to the florets and sliced thin
1 small handful of snow peas stringed and cut in half on the bias
1 Tbs. sesame seeds for garnish

Method

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Prepare the sauce by adding the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes to a large bowl big enough to toss the noodles. Then add the vinegar and agave and stir. Then whisk in the peanut butter and sesame oil until combined. Then whisk in the soy sauce and water.
Set aside.
Prepare all of the vegetables.
When the pot of water comes to a boil add the noodles to the pot and stir.
Cook the noodles for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After the noodles have cooked for 5 minutes add the broccoli and snow peas.
Then drain the noodles and green vegetables in a colander
Toss together in the large bowl with the sauce and the remaining vegetables.
Place into an attractive serving bowl and garnish with the sesame seeds.

Serves 3 as a main course and 4-6 as a side dish.

Recipe and photos by Karen Pickus
Recipe and photos courtesy Karen Pickus 2010