Asian Inspired Cilantro Noodles

This was adapted to be pantry-friendly for me, but it’s flexible—use fresh peppers, fresh chow mien noodles, more herbs, add onions, it’s still great. Do increase the amount of sauce if you want to serve this with whole wheat pasta or soba. They’re much drier and need a stronger sauce to balance.

Pasta:

Boil noodles and cook al dente. Toss with sesame oil to coat and set aside to cool.

Sauce:

I make this with my immersion blender, using the measuring cup it came with. A food processor or blender would work as well.

Peel the fiddly cilantro leaves from the stalks; one cup is about a half bunch from the produce section. Grate the peeled ginger with a rasp (or use jarred minced ginger). Add all liquid ingredients and blend to a loose sauce; it should be runnier than pesto and VERY fragrant. Add more of any ingredient to taste, or broth if needed to thin out the sauce.

Toss with the cooked noodles. Served warm or cool. Great as a side with grilled meat and stir-fried veggies.