Sesame Noodles with Crunchy Vegetables and Peanuts

• 400gdried wheat noodles (check the packet is egg-free)
• 200gfrozen podded edamame beans
• 1cucumber, halved lengthways, seeds scraped out, cut into matchsticks
• 2carrots, cut into matchsticks or coarsely grated
• 1red pepper, very thinly sliced
• 4spring onions, sliced on the diagonal
• 60groasted peanuts, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsptoasted sesame seeds
• fine salt
• 60gtahini (about 4 tbsp)
• 3 tbsplight soy sauce
• 2 tbsprice vinegar
• 1 tbsptoasted sesame oil
• 1garlic clove, crushed
• 15gginger, finely grated
• 1 tspsugar
• 2 tspchilli oil
• 4 tbspcold water
• black pepper

Method

1. 1Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and salt it. While it heats, whisk the tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, half the sesame oil, garlic, ginger, sugar, chilli oil and a good grind of black pepper in a large bowl. It will seize and go thick; that is normal.
2. 2Whisk in the water a tablespoon at a time until the dressing pours like double cream. Taste; it should be salty, sharp and nutty with a little heat, so add more vinegar or chilli oil if it tastes flat.
3. 3Cook the noodles in the boiling water for their packet time until just tender. Cook the frozen edamame for its full packet cooking time, adding it to the noodle pan early enough or using a separate pan if needed.
4. 4Drain the noodles and edamame and rinse under the cold tap for 30 seconds so they stop cooking and lose their surface starch. Shake dry and toss with the rest of the sesame oil so they do not stick.
5. 5Cut the cucumber, carrots and pepper into matchsticks and slice the spring onions while the noodles drain. Keep the pieces thin; the dish is about crunch against soft noodles.
6. 6Add the noodles and edamame to the bowl of dressing with most of the vegetables and toss until every strand is coated. Pile into bowls and top with the rest of the vegetables, the peanuts and the sesame seeds. Eat straight away while warm or chill for later.

Per serving

kcal

725

protein

26.4g

fibre

12.6g

carbs

98.3g

fat

26.8g