recipe by Lori Ross

For one pound of thin long pasta like spaghetti or Chinese wheat or egg noodles:

Sauce:

2 tbsps sesame oil

1 tsp chili oil or one small fresh chili chopped

1 cup peanut oil

¾ cup soy sauce

2 tbsps each sesame seeds and ground coriander

½ cup walnuts or slivered almonds (optional)

5 oz. boiled ham sliced into thin strips (optional)

1 tsp each of salt and pepper

Garnish:

½ cup chopped scallions

½ cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together all the sauce ingredients and set aside in a bowl. Meanwhile, cook the noodles in a large pot of briskly boiling salted water, until al dente. Drain pasta and add sauce. Mix well and chill in the refrigerator for several hours.  Before serving, garnish with green onions and cilantro.   Variation: add any of the following: 1 lb. shrimp, 2 shredded chicken breasts or 1 cup chopped raw vegetables (e.g. peppers, cucumbers, summer squash) or grated carrots to salad once chilled.