Asian noodles with fresh vegetables and peanut sauce

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 400 g udon noodles or 200 g linguine or spaghetti
• 2 small carrots
• ½ cucumber(s)
• 1 bell pepper(s), red or yellow
• 4 tbsp peanut butter with chunks
• 2 tbsp sesame oil or peanut oil
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp chili sauce, sweet and hot
• 1 tbsp honey or agave syrup if vegan
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 piece(s) ginger, thumb-sized
• 2 spring onions, the green part
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• ½ lime(s), halved

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 25 minutes

super easy, vegetarian or vegan

Wash the carrots, bell peppers, and cucumber, deseed the bell peppers and cucumber. Cut everything into thin strips about three to four centimeters long. Wash the spring onions, cut the green parts diagonally into thin strips, and set aside for garnish. Lightly toast the sesame seeds in a pan (you can do without, but toasting brings out more flavor). Bring water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Udon noodles only need three minutes, spaghetti eight to ten. Since the sauce contains enough salt, you can skip it if you like. Drain the cooked noodles, reserving some of the cooking water. Meanwhile, grate, press, or very finely chop the garlic and ginger and mix in a large bowl with the peanut butter, vinegar, oil, honey, soy sauce, chili sauce, and a little of the pasta cooking water. If the sauce still seems too thick, simply add a little more pasta water. The sauce should be “sloppy.” Then add the noodles to the bowl with the peanut sauce, add the vegetable strips, and mix everything together. Don’t let it boil any further; just stir until the sauce coats the noodles and absorbs some of the heat. If the peanut sauce is still a bit stubborn, thin it with a little pasta water. Then serve on a plate, garnish with spring onions, lime, and sesame seeds, and enjoy immediately.