Photography by Gav Martell

I really love this recipe for Szechuan noodles. They are so versatile—delicious served warm or at room temperature. They can be part of a nice dinner at home, or packed up and taken for lunch, or on a picnic. They also work perfectly as an appetizer or as a side dish for a tasty meal. Add some grilled chicken or beef and slice over top and you have a complete, easy dinner that’s ready to plate. The tahini sauce adds a really nice twist to some of the other Asian noodle recipes out there, too.

I also love this recipe because it’s one that I can really get my kids involved in making and let them have fun putting it all together. The kids absolutely love this one!

Szechuan Noodles (Adapted from Ina Garten)

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• Chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
• 4 scallions, sliced diagonally (white and green parts)

Preparation:

1 Mix together the garlic, vegetable oil, tahini, peanut butter, soy sauce, sherry vinegar, honey, chili flakes, sesame oil, and ground peppers.
2 Add a splash of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook the spaghetti al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander, place it in a large bowl, and while still warm, toss with 3/4 of the sauce.
3 Add the red and yellow bell peppers and scallions; toss well. Serve warm or at room temperature. The remaining sauce may be added, as needed, to moisten the pasta.

By day, Gav Martell is vice president at a software company. By night, he’s busy cooking up a storm, exploring culinary adventures, watching copious amounts of Food Network, drinking a nice red wine, training for half-marathons, playing endless amounts of hockey, and being a dad to three awesome taste-testers—not necessarily in that order. Each Monday, he shares a yummy recipe or great food tips to help your family get the most out of mealtime. Check out his blog at GrillInterrupted.com. You can also find him on Twitter.