Cold Udon Noodles with Sesame Dressing

   
     This recipe is another one inspired by a recent trip to Waikiki, Oahu. I was at the airport waiting for my departure back to Guam and had an hour and half to wait before boarding. Not looking forward to airline food I decided to get some lunch. I found a Japanese restaurant called Tadashi and was pleased to find a cold udon noodle dish for only $5.. The restaurant had a nice sushi bar, which I sat at and watched the chefs. There was also tempura, salads and a variety of other Japanese foods. Definitely beat the options I was going to have on United airlines!

     One of my favorite salad dressings to make is a Sesame Dressing which I knew would be great for recreating this dish. My ingredients are not traditional Japanese but I think the flavor is very similar. The restaurant served their noodles garnished with black sesame seeds and a more elegant presentation of vegetables, including seaweed. Here I served my noodles with what I had on hand, blanched broccoli florets (boiled for 3 minutes then immersed in an ice bath), sliced thinly red bell pepper and grated carrots.  Of course, the vegetable options are endless to serve with these noodles. Perfect for lunch or even to take on a picnic!


Cold Udon Noodles with Sesame Dressing
Serves 2
printable recipe

Ingredients:
cooked vegetables
7 oz. dried udon noodles (half a package)
roasted sesame seeds

Dressing:
2 T. sesame tahini paste
2 T. Veganaise mayonnaise
1 T. rice vinegar*
1 T. non-dairy milk
2 t. Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
2 tsp. sugar (or sweetener of choice)
1 t. flaxseed oil or sesame oil

*If making this as a salad dressing you may want to use 2 T. rice vinegar and omit the non-dairy milk.

Directions:

1. Prepare your vegetables and set aside.

2. Prepare the Sesame Dressing: add all the ingredients together and whisk to blend. If you want a thinner dressing add a little more liquid. If you want this thicker, to use as a dip or sandwich spread, add more mayonnaise.

3. Cook the udon noodles according to time on the package (each package varies, about 4 minutes). Bring a large pot of water to boil. It is not necessary to add salt. Add the noodles and stir occasionally to keep the noodles from sticking. Test a noodle to see if they are done. They should be soft on the outside and have a little bite in the center. When the noodles are done, drain them and rinse them in cold water.

4. To serve: divide the noodles into two portions, place a mound of noodles on a plate or bowl. Add vegetables, drizzle generously with the Sesame Dressing, garnish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

Enjoy!


Cooking tip:
     When I first open a can of sesame tahini, the oil has separated from the sesame paste and needs to be stirred. This takes a bit of work to get it combined again and gets messy. I find it easier to put it all into as small food processor, mix it well then place back into the can. Because this is perishable once opened, store in the refrigerator. Storing it in the refrigerator also keeps it combined and ready to use.

Following the above recipe this is the consistency of the dressing. 

It is thick enough to be used as a dip.

You will need to add more liquid to get a consistency

similar to the photo below, which is perfect for 

the cold udon noodles.