Szechuan Noodles

These Noodles are Asian inspired, complete with peanut, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and sesame coming together to create a bold and rich flavor. The husband is a fan of peanuts, peanut butter and peanut-based sauces, and I am a fan of Asian sauces, so this is a popular dish at our household when we are strapped for time and crave for something flavorful.

Ingredients (serves 4):

1. 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
2. 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
3. 1/4 cup roughly chopped ginger
4. 1/3 cup vegetable oil
5. 1/4 cup sesame seeds (white) + some more for garnish
6. 1/2 cup peanut butter
7. 1/2 cup soy sauce
8. 1/4 cup honey
9. 1/3 cup vinegar
10. 1/4 water
11. 2 tablespoons sesame oil
12. 2 red bell peppers, cut into strips
13. 2 grated carrots

Preparation:

1. Heat sesame oil in a skillet. When hot, add grated carrots and saute for 5 minutes until soft. Next, add the bell peppers and saute on medium heat for another 5-10 minutes. 
2. Prepare the sauce - throw the ginger, garlic, vegetable oil, sesame seeds, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, and water into a food processor or blender and grind to a smooth paste. Taste and adjust the sauce flavoring by adding honey (if it's too tangy or sharp) or vinegar (if it is missing some zing).  If the sauce is too thick, add a little water or oil to dilute it to your desired consistency.
3. Cook the spaghetti or pasta as per directions on the box and drain the water. Add 1/2 of the sauce to the hot spaghetti and mix/toss together. Add the sauteed vegetables and toss once more. Add 1/4 of the sauce  (or as needed) and toss again. 
4. Serve with toasted sesame seeds. Reserve some sauce on the side if you are going to reheat/reserve the noodles at a later time because the noodles absorb the sauce as it cools, so within a couple of hours it will look dry.

Really flavorful noodles with crunch and zing!