Spicy Sesame Noodles with Chopped Peanuts & Thai Basil

I woke up to a chorus of chirping birds and fell asleep to the lullaby of frogs in a nearby pond.   Ahhh, spring.  The sun even broke out yesterday.  We walked to the park to play a family round of tennis, and even though all the courts were filled and we came home without ever playing one match, it was so nice just to be outside.  I was grateful for the sun and for the time my family spent together.  We had laughter, good conversation, and solid moments with our older boys who are growing up much too quickly.  Does it get any better than this?  I also had a chance to begin an amazing book, A Thousand Gifts:  A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp.  Already her captivating writing style has drawn me in, caused me to pause more frequently, and put a good dose of gratitude in my heart.  I can't tell you how much I enjoy this time of year.

Spicy Sesame Noodles with Chopped Peanuts and Basil was one of many items on my thankful list yesterday.  I've had other sesame, peanuty noodle dishes that I thought were too sticky or too lackluster.  This one is not.  It's a great vegan dish with good peanut and basil flavor that could stand alone as a meal or as a side dish served with a protein of your choice, for me that would be grilled chicken.  I personally wanted more basil with each bite, but my husband did not.  So I would recommend having some extra chopped basil to pass while serving.  I used 1 tablespoon of hot chili oil as the original recipe stated and I'd say the heat was very mild.  While taste tasting for salt and pepper in the final step, add additional hot chili oil or red pepper flakes to gain some spiciness as desired.  You can find hot chili oil in the ethnic section of well-stocked grocery stores or at an Asian Market.  Additionally, the peanut oil may be substituted for any kind of light oil you prefer, like walnut or vegetable oil, but this is a substitution that will sacrifice flavor.


INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons evaporated palm sugar
1 tablespoon hot chili oil (use more as desired)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles or angel hair pasta
12 green onions, whites and greens thinly sliced
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:
1.  Heat peanut oil in small skillet over medium heat.  Add ginger and garlic; saute for 1 minute or until fragrant.  Transfer to large bowl.  Add sesame oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sugar, hot chili oil, and salt.  whisk to blend.

2.  Place noodles in sieve over sink.  Separate noodles with fingers and shake to remove excess starch.  Cook in large pot of boiling water until just tender, stirring occasionally.  Drain and rinse under cold water until cool.  Drain thoroughly and transfer to bowl with sauce.

3.  Add sliced green onions and toss to coat noodles.  Let stand at room temperature tossing occasionally for about 1 hour to allow noodles to absorb dressing.

4.  Stir in peanuts and basil;  toss again.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve at room temperature.

Recipe adapted from epicurious.com

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This recipe is linked to Mouthwatering Mondays , Masterpiece Mondays, and Simply Share It.