Sesame Noodles with Peanuts and Basil

This is perfect buffet food. It is tasty, filling, cheap, and served at room temperature. Makes a nice accompaniment to any meal, but could be the main dish if you sauteed some meat and threw it in.

The flavors are not strong but refreshing. I find this dish rather addicting. Me in a room with these noodles looks a helluva lot like me with goldfish crackers circa 1998. Even after I had put it into serving bowls, I kept pulling back the saran wrap and stealing noodles for myself. (Speaking of thievery, this recipe was stolen from Epicurious.)

Ingredients:

Peanut oil, for frying purposes
1/4 c minced fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced

Sauce:
1/3 C sesame oil
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C balsalmic vinegar
3 tbsp granulated sugar
optional: 2 tbsp hot chili oil or red pepper flakes if you want it spicy. If you are making this for a crowd, I suggest skipping this part.

1 lb. (2 lbs if fresh) angel hair pasta or chinese egg noodles, cooked, drained and brought to room temperature in a large bowl.

12 green onions, pale parts thinly sliced
1 c coarsely chopped, roasted, salted peanuts
1/2 C chopped Thai (or normal) basil

1) Saute ginger and garlic in peanut oil for a minute. My garlic started to overcook before the ginger was finished, so I would start with the ginger and throw in the garlic at the last minute. Dump them in the bowl with the noodles.

2) Mix the sauce and pour over the noodles.

3) Throw in the green onions, peanuts, basil and mix thoroughly. The easiest way to do this is to use your hands. I put on some disposable latex gloves and tossed the noodles for a minute. If you don't have latex gloves you might smell like a Korean restaurant for the next 24 hours. Anyhow, let the noodles sit with all of the ingredients for a half an hour so that the flavors can meld.

Serve at room temperature.