Noodles With Spicy Peanut Sauce

"Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce" (page 243) is a recipe found under the Asian Noodles section of the Pasta & Noodles chapter, and is one of my favorite ways to enjoy Asian noodle dishes. Using any variety of flat noodle, the flavorful sauce is what makes this dish go. Fresh garlic and ginger, soy sauce, chili paste, and peanut butter make up the base sauce, with the addition of onions, bell pepper, and cilantro. This is a classic combination of ingredients for first class Asian dining. If you are feeling more casual, you can serve this dish right out of the skillet from the stovetop, making it a one-dish meal - that's what I did! If you have any leftovers, this dish holds up well in the refrigerator for a nice lunch a day or two later. Feel free to up the spice level by increasing the amount of chili paste. The recipe calls for ½ teaspoon, and I used 1 tablespoon. Could be some Asian chili sauces are spicier than others. There is a sizeable amount of oil called for here; 3 tablespoons of sesame oil to toss the cooked noodles in, and 2 tablespoons of oil for sautéing the veggies. If you chose to use the full amount - 5 tablespoons - you will be adding 69 grams of fat and 608 calories to this dish. I opted to leave out both oils. The peanut butter in the sauce adds plenty of richness and flavor, and packs its own wallop of fat and calories. As I usually do, I used only 8 ounces of noodles instead of the one pound called for, as I prefer my pasta dishes quite saucy.

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

• Use whole grain noodles.
• Do not toss the noodles with sesame oil; instead rinse well with running water after they are cooked.
• Do not use oil to sauté the veggies; instead, use a nonstick skillet and/or water, broth, or sherry for the cooking liquid.