For the peanut dressing:
1/2 cup good quality roasted peanut butter, such as Santa Cruz
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice, about 2 limes
1 Tbs. sriracha
1 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbs. local honey
2 Tbs. warm water
For the noodle salad:
1/2 lb. thin whole wheat spaghetti
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 cups thinly sliced purple cabbage, about 1/2 head
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper, about 1 pepper
1 cup grated carrot, about 2 medium carrots
1/2 cup grated radish, about 2 radishes
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion, white and green parts, about 5 green onions
Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1/2 cup dry-roasted unsalted chopped peanuts
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup torn mint leaves
1/4 cup torn basil leaves
For the dressing:
Combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, sriracha, rice vinegar, ginger, sesame oil, and honey in a blender and blend until smooth. Add enough warm water to achieve a pourable consistency.
For the salad:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, five or six minutes. Drain, then drizzle the noodles with the toasted sesame oil and toss to coat. This will keep the pasta from clumping together as it cools. Let cool completely.
Transfer the cooled noodles to a very large bowl. Stir in the cabbage, bell pepper, carrot, radish, and green onion.
Add half of the dressing and one teaspoon of salt and toss to combine. (Save the remaining dressing to drizzle or as a dipping sauce. It will keep refrigerated for up to five days). Taste and season with more salt if desired.
At this point, you can cover the salad and refrigerate it up to one day ahead. To serve, divide among four bowls and top with the chopped peanuts and fresh herbs. Drizzle with extra dressing to taste.
Chef’s Notes: “This dish is like hot-weather comfort food: it’s rich and creamy but also cold and crunchy. We buy a lot of our vegetables through a local CSA, and this recipe is a flexible canvas for using up bits and pieces of the summer haul. I love showering my food with fresh herbs in the heat of summer, and the combination of mint, basil, and cilantro is bright and refreshing. You can make and dress the salad up to one day ahead, but add the peanuts and herbs just before serving.”
Pro Tip: “The Asian ingredients can usually be purchased in the international aisle of your grocery store but are also available online at The Japanese Pantry.”
TK Culinary Consulting & Test Kitchen
tktestkitchen.com
jenni@tktestkitchen.com
Think fresh produce, local seafood, and loads of flavor
