ccSCOOP RECIPE:  PANG PANG NOODLES

WILLIAM PARKER, ccSCOOP
July 1, 2010

I first learned to make this years ago at Windows on the World from a Chinese guy who worked on the buffet with me. He took me to a store in Chinatown, where he introduced me to ingredients that seemed very foreign and exotic at the time; they might still be to some but with the terrific new Asian Market in Albany, ingredients  available online, and even, haltingly, the supermarkets beginning to introduce some staples, it's getting easier to explore the Asian culinary repertoire. Making this is an absolute snap, it's a sure-fire crowd pleaser and wonderful to make for a picnic or party where you're serving large numbers of people.

This makes enough to coat 3+ pounds of noodles and keeps for at least a week in the refrigerator. The key is balancing the chili against the sugar, which takes a little practice. Taste. Taste again. Find the balance that works for you.

1 1/2 cups chunky peanut butter
1 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup toasted sesame oil, additional for tossing noodles
3/4 cup soy sauce*
1/4 cup Chinese black vinegar**
4 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger
4 Tablespoons minced fresh garlic
4 Tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons chili paste***
4-5 fresh scallions (per pound of noodles), sliced into thin rounds, including green tops
1 red bell pepper (per pound of noodles), julienned
1/4 pound snow peas (per pound of noodles), sliced thin with scissors
1 cucumber, seeded and sliced into strips

Place all of the ingredients - with the exception of the scallions, snow peas, pepper and cucumber - in a food processor and process until the ingredients look fluffy. Taste with a piece of pepper. I like the fire of the chili paste, so you may want to add some more. Taste again. If it seems too harsh/acrid, add more sugar. Maybe add some more peanut butter. Let it set for a bit to allow the flavors to blend.

For noodles, if I can't find a good Chinese brand, I use Barilla Thin Spaghetti because you want the noodles to be slightly chewy (what's Chinese for al dente?) and a good Italian thin pasta makes a terrific substitute.

Cook the noodles until they're whatever Chinese for al dente is, drain in a colander and immediately refresh in ice water until they're cool. Drain thoroughly. With your fingers or a fork, use some paper towels to dry the noodles as thoroughly as possible. Place in a bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons sesame oil until coated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. When ready to serve, toss lightly with some sauce and place scallions, cucumber sticks, snow peas, pepper and then more sauce on top. Serve.

*Chinese soy sauce is sold in large bottles and is dirt-cheap at good Asian markets ($1.50 for a large bottle, usually), much more expensive online.  www.amazon.com

**Chinese Black vinegar is available at Asian markets and online.   www.amazon.com

***Chili paste is very inexpensive, you can use it in a lot of ways you haven't imagined and is available in Asian markets and online. Go with Huey Fong.   www.amazon.com