Citrus Peanut Noodles

I'm such a huge fan of cold noodle salads. Not only are they easy to whip up, but they typically store well in the fridge and are great to throw in a lunch bag. This week, since I'm wrapping up my finals, I just wanted something I could just grab and go.

This originally started in a completely different direction than what it ended up as, due to what I had on hand in the old kitchen. I'm actually glad I didn't have what I wanted on hand, as this is such a tasty creation. The citrus juices and peanut butter pair so well together, and the chili garlic sauce adds such a nice heat. On the 28 Cooks hot-o-meter, this ranks about a 3 out of 5 peppers, so if you're heat sensitive, cut back on the amount of chili garlic sauce.

This is a perfect noodle salad to take to summer get-togethers instead of the same old boring potato salad. It's a great base to add your favorite vegetables to, or even some shredded chicken if you're a carnivore.



Citrus Peanut Noodles
8 ounces of your favorite noodles (I used linguine)
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp chili garlic sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
zest and juice of 1 orange
2 tsp finely minced ginger
1 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped

Cook noodles in well-salted water until al dente. Drain, rinse, and place in large bowl. In food processor, combine remaining ingredients. Combine until well pureed. Pour over noodles and chill in the refridgerator for a bit. Add cilantro just before serving.