凉liáng 面miàn (Cool Noodles)

A delicious, yet simple, dish for a hot summer day.



You might want to forget about the Sichuan peppercorns and the hot chilli oil if you or your companions don't eat spicy food. Alternatively you can add the chilli oil to the individual bowls when serving.

Chinese people tend to approximate quantities so don't be over concerned with getting things exact. Also you might like to experiment with the proportions of peanut butter and sesame paste (tahini), or even just opt for one of them.

Ingredients for 4 people

400 g (14 oz) of noodles

Ingredients A
1 spring onion


Ingredients B
2 T sesame paste (tahini)
2 T peanut butter
1 T soy sauce
1 t sugar
some chilli oil (optional)
1/2 t Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
1 t sesame oil
1 T warm water


Ingredients C

1 Cucumber
1 t sesame seeds




1. Cook the noodles. Personally I prefer soba noodles, but spaghetti also works well


2. Drain the noodles and rinse them with cool water. Then put them in iced water to cool for ten minutes. After that put them in the refridgerator until just before serving.



3. Chop the onions finely.


4. Grind the peppercorns if you are using them.


5. Mix ingredients B and half of the chopped onions and peppercorns if you are using them.


You can add sesame oil or water to the mixture to make it smoother.



6. Slice the cucumber lengthwise and remove the seeds. Then cut it into thin strips.



7. Finally, put the noodles into 4 bowls and cover with the cucumber and the sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and the remaining onion.

8. Yum!


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