Cold Sesame Noodles With Cucumber, Corn and Basil

Updated June 10, 2024

Cold Sesame Noodles With Cucumber, Corn and Basil
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Total Time
25 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(1,211)
Comments
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For a summertime update on a beloved Chinese dish, cold sesame noodles are freshened up with crisp cucumbers, raw corn and aromatic basil. The minimalism of the three-ingredient sesame dressing belies its complex flavor. It brings together three flavor-dense condiments: chile crisp, sesame oil and sesame paste. Available from Asian grocery stores (or online), Chinese or Japanese sesame paste is similar to tahini. It is made from toasted sesame seeds, so the finish is darker, nuttier and stronger. If you can’t get a hold of sesame paste, substitute with smooth peanut butter or tahini. The noodle choice here is flexible to make space for those with dietary restrictions; use any type of thick rice or wheat noodle.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • Salt
  • 10ounces dried thick rice or wheat noodles
  • 4Persian cucumbers (about 11 ounces)
  • ¼cup Chinese or Japanese sesame paste or tahini
  • 4teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 4 to 6teaspoons chile crisp (to your taste), plus more for serving
  • 2ears corn, kernels removed (about 2 cups of kernels)
  • Toasted white sesame seeds, to serve
  • Handful of basil leaves
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

462 calories; 17 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 67 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 15 grams protein; 515 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to packet instructions until al dente. Drain, refresh under cold water and drain again.

  2. Step 2

    Halve cucumbers lengthwise. Using a small spoon, scrape out the seeds and discard. Cut cucumber into thin strips.

  3. Step 3

    Make the sesame sauce: Place the sesame paste into a bowl and add the sesame oil and chile crisp. Add ¼ cup of water and whisk until smooth and pourable. If the sauce is too thick, add another splash of water, until the sauce feels loose enough to coat the noodles. (The sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead, but it will thicken up over time. To loosen it up, whisk with a tablespoon or two of water.)

  4. Step 4

    Place the noodles into a large bowl and add the sesame sauce, cucumber and corn. Toss to coat the noodles.

  5. Step 5

    To serve, top with sesame seeds, basil leaves and a few drops of chile crisp.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,211 user ratings
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Comments

Tried it and it’s very underwhelming. Need more acidity, more sweetness, and a lot more flavor…..

Found this a bit bland so added lime juice, minced ginger, ponzu sauce and some mint and cilantro. Very tasty. Problem with corn and long noodles is that all the corn ends up at the bottom of your bowl ….

Added soy sauce Sugar Fish sauce

great template! used soba this time and added soy sauce and some vin. if you have good enough chili crisp i think it’s great like this but so much can be added to elevate it even more!

made this for dinner - we added lime juice and extra chile crisp for heat. recommend!

As others have noted this sauce needs a little punching up - soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, and fish sauce are all welcome additions. A sweet red pepper helps too BUT even with these adjustments, I found another comment that this is lacking in sweetness and acidity to be basically spot on. HOWEVER (and it’s a big however) - if you serve these noodles alongside with Eric Kim’s chilled tofu with gochujang sauce you will be abundantly rewarded by a very pleasing burst of sweetness to compliment, and a divine texture combination to boot. Alone, I think I would have deemed these noodles not worth another try. With the tofu recipe? A slam dunk summer dinner. https://daily4you.info/recipes/1025664-chilled-tofu-with-gochujang-sauce?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share

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