Sesame paste sauce and some serving options

[redsnake05]

I developed this dish when I lived in China. I had the most basic of kitchens - just a gas burner. I didn't even have a toaster oven at first. Anyhow, I developed an inordinate fondness for ru gan mian, or sesame sauce noodes, a staple breakfast in my part of the country. The sesame paste was just so tasty! It was made with toasted sesame, so it was much darker than tahini, and it was grainier than peanut butter. When I discovered that you could buy this dark sesame paste from the oil shops (rapeseed, soya bean and sesame oils, processed in the little shop), I was so excited that I immediately bought some and was determined to make a delicious something from it. What happened was a kind of satay-ish sauce that I ate all the time.

There are no real quantities for this recipe, so you may need to experiment to get it how you want it. If you live near somewhere with a decent Asian market or area, you should be able to find it in the sauces section/shops, with the fermented broad bean and black bean sauces and things. I expect it would be delicious with other nut butters too, but I have tried it only with peanut butter, with a splash of soy sauce, as a variation.

Fry plenty of garlic and onion on low heat. Add chilli peppers to whatever degree of hotness works for you and cook. Over a very low heat, add a big splash of rice vinegar and a chopped tomato, tomato puree or some sweet chilli sauce. Stir in a big spoonful or two of sesame paste and mix it round till it all incorporates into the sauce. Add chopped spring onion and coriander before serving.

Now, the making-it-into-a-meal part. I used to fry up some firm tofu, add the sauce and stir in chopped fresh pineapple, then serve it over rice with stir fried leafy greens or beans. It's also delicious with noodles, or thinned down into noodle soup. Sometimes, I would cook up dumplings and pour the sauce on top of them instead of dipping the dumplings in a separate sauce.

Comments

[miss_haitch]

That sounds nice, I've been trying to reduce meat in meals recently so I think I'll give it a go!

[redsnake05]

*beams* happy experimenting! I hope it works out for you.

[iamshadow]

This sounds delicious! I will have to try it! I've only tried sesame seeds and sesame oil, never paste.

[yaramaz]

Oh yes, yes. Thank you. We have the gas burner set up too (and a heavy heavy mo-fo wok I picked upon arrival and seasoned brilliantly-- we even use it for spaghetti sauce!) and recently acquired a real country style clay lined slow cooker. What is the name of the sesame paste? I haven't seen any oil shop here (but I may just not be getting the clues). In supermarkets maybe? Sounds really yummy.

[stripped]

Oh that sounds lovely. I make spicy peanut noodles fairly regularly, but I haven't tried sesame paste yet. Next time I get over to the Oriental grocery I have to see if I can find some. It is a jar item? IE, I should be able to buy it shelf stable, not in the refrigerator section?

I kind of love the idea of tossing fried tofu with it for a meal. I have to check this out. Especially with the greens once the summer veggies start coming in.

[redsnake05]

Yes, it's a jar item. Even though it's a nut butter, I have always found it in with the sauces. I hope that turns out to be universal!

[redsnake05]

Um... I cannot remember the name and Squeak has stashed my Chinese dictionary somewhere (she likes to 'read' it). But in the supermarket (the local one, not Carrefour), you should be able to find jars of it in the same aisle as the black bean sauce and so on. It looks like dark brown tahini. Also, the oil shops are usually near the open air vegetable markets. Look for the huge drums outside the little shop, and, as you get closer, enormous bottles of oil. The sesame oil is dark brown and comes in slightly smaller bottles and it's delicious.

[redsnake05]

Good luck with the experimenting! Sesame is so delicious.

[stripped]

So I just made this and tossed it with precooked lo mein noodles. Tastes and smells heavenly. I'm going to fry up some tofu to toss on top, and a side of stir-fried bok choy, and I'm making up lunches for the week. Kinda can't wait to eat, now!

[redsnake05]

Awesome! I'm glad you're enjoying it.