The World's Best Sesame Noodles

(Well, at least they are pretty good!)

This recipe is from my old Chinese grandmother and has been a family secret for many years... I have decided to break tradition and provide it to you as freeware:

Components:

• Peanut oil: 0.5 cup
• Garlic, fresh, minced: 2 teaspoons
• Sesame seed paste (PLEASE do NOT use peanut butter!): 4 ounces
• Chili sauce (hot): 1 tablespoon
• Soy sauce: 6 tablespoons
• Red vinegar: 6 tablespoons
• Sugar: 4 tablespoons
• Salt: 1 teaspoon
• Noodles (Asian types are best, but vermicelli works in a pinch): 1 pound
• Sesame oil: 1 tablespoon

Procedure

• Mix all items except noodles and sesame oil.
• Cook noodles; rinse with cold water; mix with 1 tablespoon sesame oil to prevent them from sticking together.
• Add sauce to noodles and mix; if noodles are hot, the acetic acid (vinegar to non-chemists) will volatilize (evaporate) and the sourness will be lost with time; for serving later, cold, let noodles cool and then add the sauce; for serving later hot; reheat the noodles in microwave and then add sauce just before serving, or reheat in sauce and add more vinegar to taste.
• Garnish with sesame seeds, cucumber slices, and chopped scallions.