Step 1

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil for the noodles.

Step 2

While the water is coming to a boil, add the sliced scallions to a bowl of cold water. Soak for 10 minutes, or while you prep the other ingredients (this helps mellow their pungency but you can skip it if you don’t mind that). Scoop out scallions with a slotted spoon and dry off with a towel.

Step 3

Make the sesame sauce. Stir together the ginger, garlic, sesame paste, both types of soy sauce, agave, Chinese black vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and chili-garlic sauce. Whisk well to combine, breaking up any clumps from the sesame paste.a. Taste, adding more agave or sesame paste as needed to balance the acidity as needed, or more chili sauce for more heat. The sauce will taste very concentrated right now but it’s going to coat a lot of noodles and mix-ins.

Step 4

Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Before draining, scoop out some of the noodle cooking water and set aside.a. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water until the noodles are cool. Return the noodles to the saucepan or a large serving bowl.b. If making the noodles ahead of time, toss them with a bit of sesame oil to prevent sticking.

Step 5

If using edamame, add it to a bowl and season with a few pinches of salt.

Step 6

In a large bowl, combine the sesame sauce and cooled noodles and toss to coat with tongs. If you are not using fresh udon noodles, add a bit of the reserved noodle water. This makes it easier for the sesame paste to cling to the noodles and prevents them from drying out. I use about 2 tablespoons of water to start.

Step 7

Add the drained scallions, vegetable of choice and seasoned edamame if using, sesame seeds, and peanuts. Toss again to combine.

Step 8

If desired, spoon a little Chinese chili crisp on top before serving. When serving leftovers, add a dash of vinegar or spoon of chili sauce, as desired to freshen up the flavors.