Spicy Sesame Noodles with Chopped Peanuts and Thai Basil

Spicy Sesame Noodles with Chopped Peanuts and Thai Basil
Tiffany Brewster - Salt Lake City, UT

This simple vegetarian pasta is perfect for a summertime picnic.

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon (or more) hot chili oil*
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles or fresh angel hair pasta
12 green onions (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted peanuts
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh Thai basil leaves (regular basil will work if you can’t find Thai)

*Available in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets and at Asian markets.

Directions

Heat peanut oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Transfer to large bowl. Add next 6 ingredients; whisk to blend.
Place noodles in sieve over sink. Separate noodles with fingers and shake to remove excess starch. Cook in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain thoroughly and transfer to bowl with sauce. Add sliced green onions and toss to coat noodles. Let stand at room temperature until noodles have absorbed dressing, tossing occasionally, about 1 hour. Stir in peanuts and Thai basil; toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Red Thai Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Curry

Red Thai Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Curry
Annie MacDonald - London, England

This is a recipe that I first tried at my favorite thai restaurant in Carpinteria. You can make it spicy (with some chilli flakes) or sweet (by adding a little bit of cinnamon - the ginger already gives it a festive, warm taste that is perfect for the holidays). I love cilantro so I use it to garnish, but you can use spring onions or bean sprouts if you like as well. Add some chickpeas if you like it more solid (you can really add any veggies you want). You can also add chicken or turkey if you just gotta have meat!


Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups of peeled and cubed pumpkin

1 1/2 cups of sweet potato, washed and cubed in 1.5 cm pieces

2 chopped small onions

2 heaped tsp chopped ginger

1 tsp chopped red or green chilli

4 tbsp. soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp. Red Thai curry paste

1 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tbsp light olive oil

3 1/2 cups coconut milk

1/2 small bag of sugar snap peas

1 cup basmati rice

Cooking Instructions

Cook the rice according to the instructions on the bag. Meanwhile heat a pot and add the olive and sesame oil. Fry the onions on medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the chilli, ginger and curry paste and saute for 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin and sweet potato and pour in the coconut milk and soy sauce. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 12-15 minutes.

Serving
Add the peas 3 minutes before serving to retain their freshness and crunch. Serve on top of basmati rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro.