Cold Sesame-Peanut Noodles

Method

1. Put the sesame paste and peanut butter in a bowl. Stir the paste in its jar first, because the oil separates on top. Add the warm water a spoonful at a time, stirring after each one. It will first turn stiff and grainy; keep going and it becomes smooth, glossy and as thick as yogurt.

   Add in this stepChinese toasted sesame paste (or tahini) 3 tbspSmooth unsweetened peanut butter 1 tbspWarm water 3 tbsp

2. Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, grated garlic, chili oil and half the sesame oil until the sugar dissolves. Taste: it should be nutty, salty and gently tangy. If it is too thick to slide off a spoon, add another spoonful of warm water.

   Add in this stepLight soy sauce 1½ tbspChinese black vinegar (or rice vinegar) 2 tspSugar 1 tspGarlic cloves, finely grated 2Chili oil with its flakes 1 tbspToasted sesame oil 1 tsp

3. Cut the cucumber into 5 cm lengths, then into thin matchsticks. Slice the spring onions thinly. Keep both in the fridge so they stay crisp.

   Add in this stepCucumber 1Spring onions 1

4. Bring 2.5 L of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the noodles, loosen them with chopsticks and cook for 3 min, stirring once or twice, until just tender with a slight bite in the centre (thicker noodles: follow the packet).

   Add in this stepFresh thin wheat noodles (dried: about two-thirds of the weight) 300 g

   high heat

5. Drain the noodles and rinse them under cold running water for 1 min, rubbing them gently with your hands, until completely cold and no longer slippery with starch. Shake off as much water as you can, since wet noodles dilute the sauce, then toss with the rest of the sesame oil so they do not clump.

   Add in this stepToasted sesame oil 1 tsp

6. Divide the noodles between bowls, spoon the sauce over and pile the cucumber and spring onions on top. Scatter with the crushed peanuts and sesame seeds, then mix everything well at the table so every strand is coated.

   Add in this stepRoasted peanuts, roughly crushed 2 tbspToasted sesame seeds 1 tsp