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Taipei sesame noodles
Má jiàng miàn: cold-or-warm noodles in sesame paste, black vinegar and chilli oil
Ma jiang mian is the first thing many Taipei students order at the corner noodle shop, with a bowl of soup on the side and a plate of sliced cucumber. The noodles are tossed, never drowned, in a thick sauce of toasted sesame paste loosened with soy sauce, black vinegar and a little of the cooking water, then splashed with chilli oil. It works hot in winter and cold from the fridge in the sticky Taipei summer. Chef's tip: use Chinese toasted sesame paste rather than tahini if you can; it's made from roasted seeds and gives a much nuttier, darker sauce.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp Chinese toasted sesame pastestirred well in the jar
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 cloves garlicgrated
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
For the noodles
- ½ cucumbercut into thin matchsticks
- 1 spring onionfinely sliced
- 2 tsp chilli oil (optional)or to taste
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 3 tbsp Chinese toasted sesame paste in a bowl and stir in 2 tbsp light soy sauce a spoonful at a time until smooth. Mix in 1 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar, 2 tsp sugar, 2 cloves garlic and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil.
Step 2: Boil 7 oz dried thin wheat noodles in plenty of unsalted water over a high heat for the time on the packet, usually 3–4 minutes, until just tender with a slight bite. Before draining, scoop out a mug of the cooking water.
4 minStep 3: Whisk 3–4 tbsp of the hot noodle water into the sauce until it is as thick as pouring cream and glossy. Common mistake: thinning with cold water or too much liquid; the paste seizes into lumps or turns soupy and slides off the noodles.
1 minStep 4: For warm noodles, drain and toss them straight into the sauce. For cold noodles, rinse under cold water, drain very well, toss with a few drops of oil, then the sauce.
Step 5: Divide between bowls and top with ½ cucumber and 1 spring onion. Spoon over 2 tsp chilli oil and scatter 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds if you like. Mix everything at the table so each strand is coated.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 78 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does taipei sesame noodles take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of light soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
- What can I use instead of chinkiang black vinegar?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
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