A First Time for Everything
In the summer of 1977, following my freshman year of college, I drove to Long Island, New York, to meet up with a few college friends to see the very first Star Wars movie. As I drove by New York City, I was blown away by the skyline. I had never seen anything like it.
After the movie, we all decided to go out for Chinese food. There was a heated discussion over choosing Szechuan (Sichuan) versus Hunan. Never having had any Chinese food, I had no idea what either meant. We ended up at a Szechuan place and I relied on my friends to order for me.
My favorite part of that day — yes, even more than the movie — was tasting this completely unfamiliar cuisine. My specific memories are vague — hot chiles, strongly-flavored brown sauces, and never-before-seen vegetables (bamboo shoots? water chestnuts?).
I remember only one specific dish from that night — Sesame Noodles with a slightly spicy and creamy sauce. I was smitten and continue to love it. Over the years, I’ve tinkered with multiple recipes to put together a version that is my favorite way to make this dish. (The biggest change was my discovery of Chinese sesame paste — prior to that I was using tahini. Big difference!)
This year, I made the noodles for our Lunar New Year dinner — the Year of the Rabbit. I think the rabbit would like the peas and cucumbers. I hope you enjoy it.
~ David
Developed and maintained by Inspiratech LLC.
Design by Themeshift.
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
March 18, 2023 at 6:55 amOhh. myy. This sounds perfect, David! I definitely want to make this. Almost as much as I want to eat it!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 18, 2023 at 10:59 amIt really is so good – I’m making it a little too often these days! Thanks for your comment, Jean!
Mad Dog
March 18, 2023 at 7:00 amThat looks great – I love Sichuan food. Have your read Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper, by Fuchsia Dunlop? She was the first foreigner and woman to be allowed to study at the Sichuan Cooking School.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 18, 2023 at 10:58 amI love Fuchsia Dunlop – she is one of my go-to sources for authenticity. But I have not read Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper – must add that to my list!
Mimi Rippee
March 18, 2023 at 7:05 amWell, now I have another damn ingredient I need to order from Amazon! I had no idea that there is a Chinese sesame paste! Fabulous noodles. And a great story.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 18, 2023 at 10:56 amYou will be glad you knocked on Amazon’s door – it’s great stuff! Glad you like the recipe!
Linda Doughty
March 18, 2023 at 8:14 amI fell in love with sesame noodles when I lived in Brooklyn back in the previous century. They were a new experience for me then, too, and I ordered them whenever we’d go out to Chinese dinner in a group in Manhattan, usually before a concert. I can’t wait to try this, though I’ll need to find sesame paste. I’ve made them with peanut butter and sesame oil. Thanks!!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 18, 2023 at 10:55 amLucky for us, I can correct the autocorrect! New York was such a wealth of good Chinese restaurants. Did you ever go to Nom Wah’s Tea Parlor? Lee lee has the sesame paste, Linda!
Eha
March 18, 2023 at 2:57 pmDavid – you must hear my clapping from here, surely! Yes – all my favourite ingredients in the style of cooking I love most . . . but, a little different again and already atop my kitchen file ! Cannot wait to make it ‘your way’ and shall report back . . . Absolutely love your chopsticks . . . way back when my older daughter brought me back wo dozen (yup!!!) pairs of dark red ones from Shanghai . . . well, sensible me has not indulged in more ‘exciting’ stuff since . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
March 19, 2023 at 10:46 amLike in many cultures and households, everyone has a slightly different Do hope you like mine!
Pat Weigand
March 18, 2023 at 3:25 pmWould this fall into the umami taste category? It sounds wonderful, and the picture is gorgeous. Also, I love the colors in the cloth. And I must confess, I copied the pic of your too cute bunny… Pat
Cocoa & Lavender
March 19, 2023 at 10:45 amI think it would fall into the umami category… The cloth was a scarf worn by a good friend who left this world three years ago. So nice to have a lovely reminder of her. And I’m glad you liked my bunny photo — seemed appropriate. 🙂
Ronit
March 19, 2023 at 9:35 amMany times, the simplest dishes are the best.
I’ll save your recipe and give it a try, as soon as I can get Chinese sesame paste, which I’ve never tried. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
March 19, 2023 at 10:43 amThat is exactly what I say to myself — KISS. (Keep It Simple Stupid.) Joking aside, I love simple dishes — and I’m so glad I found the Chinese sesame paste!
Ronit
March 19, 2023 at 2:23 pmI’m a big believer in the KISS method. I think it should be applied to just about any aspect of life! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
March 21, 2023 at 2:05 amI agree 100%!
Jen D
March 19, 2023 at 2:23 pmBack in the day on the Main Line, we used to schlep downtown to a restaurant called South China for our Asian cuisine experience. Now you can’t swing a cat (bad metaphor for this conversation . . .) in that area without hitting a Chinese restaurant. Times have changed! Anyway, I LOVE sesame noodles. This is now on our high priority cooking list — for Steve to make! But first we have a few ingredients to acquire! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
March 21, 2023 at 2:04 amI wish my parents had been more adventurous in their culinary world. For us, an ethic night out was at Paolini’s in Bryn Mawr. Somehow I found my way to this amazing world of food! Let me know if I can help you source the ingredients you need!
Jill Jill
March 20, 2023 at 11:10 pmMust try. Love noodles. Where can I get the cute rabbit?
Cocoa & Lavender
March 21, 2023 at 2:06 amThe bunny is in our front garden — but is shooed away by Mr. MacGregor on a regular basis.
Jeff the Chef
March 21, 2023 at 7:40 amSo many of these ingredients are unfamiliar to me, but I love Asian foods, and I’ve always wanted to learn to make them at home.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 21, 2023 at 7:53 amThey are so much fun to make at home — just clear a large space in your pantry for all the new ingredients you’re going to need! I have 4 different kinds of soy plus a tamari, fish sauce, kecap manis, oyster sauce (you should have a vegetarian version, too), shaoxing wine, sake, sesame paste, sesame oil, noodles of all varieties… you get the idea!
Kelly | Foodtasia
March 21, 2023 at 12:44 pmThese would really hit the spot, David! I’ll have to keep my eye out for the Chinese sesame paste!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 21, 2023 at 2:55 pmIt’s definitely worth finding, Kelly. Hope you’re doing well!
Raymund
March 21, 2023 at 1:47 pmThanks for sharing your experience, David! It sounds like you had a memorable first time trying Chinese food and that Sesame Noodles dish sounds delicious. I’ve never tried Chinese sesame paste before, does it taste like tahini? I’ll definitely have to give it a try in this recipe. Thanks for sharing the recipe, and happy Lunar New Year!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 21, 2023 at 2:55 pmI think the way to describe Chinese sesame paste is that is less sweet and more earthy than tahini. It definitely makes a difference in the recipe. And happy Lunar New Year to you, as well!
sherry
March 21, 2023 at 9:35 pmI’d have to go for crunchy peanut butter David 🙂 As Alice Zaslavsky (a well-known Aussie cook) says, ‘it has to be crunchy otherwise there’s something missing!’
Cocoa & Lavender
March 22, 2023 at 8:58 pmYou can do as you wish! I’ll stick to creamy as that is the texture I prefer.
Valentina
March 22, 2023 at 3:14 pmFor me, few meals are more comforting than Asian noodle dishes. Love the food memories and the recipe! 🙂 ~Valentina
P.S. Cute rabbit!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 22, 2023 at 9:01 pmDon’t you just love the bunny? Not sure how he hot uo on our wall, but… I agree about the comfort of Asian noodle dishes — more coming soon!
Christina Conte
March 24, 2023 at 5:37 pmThis sounds delicious, David! I just took a friend to lunch at Din Tai Fung today! Love simple noodle dishes like this! Adding to my ever-growing list!!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 25, 2023 at 11:18 amI know what you mean about the list. I have so many good recipes saved from you and other bloggers — but if I made all the, I’d never have time to create for my own blog! Still, I get in quite a few
2pots2cook
March 31, 2023 at 5:17 amThis it wonderful. Must try! But first, have to find Chinese sesame paste….
Cocoa & Lavender
April 5, 2023 at 6:34 amIt’s worth finding it, if you can! It really is amazing. If you can’t find it, tahini will work.