Chinese Sesame Noodles (麻酱面)

Step 1

Put minced garlic, chopped scallions, sesame seeds, and chili flakes into a small bowl. Heat oil until hot. Pour it over the above ingredients. Mix well.

Step 2

Add sesame paste to another bowl. Stir with a spoon while adding 2 tablespoons of water in several batches until it becomes a smooth, much thinner consistency. Be patient with this process as it’ll take some time to get the right texture (see note 3 if using substitutes). Add light soy sauce, black rice vinegar, and sugar. Mix until fully integrated.

Step 3

Bring plenty of water to a full boil. Put in noodles. Once it comes back to a boil, turn down the heat a little to avoid boiling over.

Step 4

Once cooked, transfer the noodles to a colander and rinse under running water to cool them down quickly.

Step 5

Place the noodles in 2 serving bowls. Top them up with cucumber, fresh chili, and cilantro (if using). Pour the spicy dressing and the sesame sauce mixture over.

Step 6

Give everything a thorough mix to coat each strand of noodle with the sauce. Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds to garnish.