Peanut and cucumber noodles

Working with The University of Sheffield

Season: Summer

With organic cucumbers as box regulars again now, we wanted to recommend a mouth-watering dish that wasn’t a classic salad or a pickle. This recipe by the brilliant Anna Jones fits the bill. It’s her version of a bowl of noodles at a neighbourhood Taiwanese restaurant in Los Angeles. So here we are: cucumber inspiration from Taiwan to Sheffield via California (and The Guardian food pages).

Ingredients

FOR THE PEANUT SAUCE:

5 tbsp smooth peanut butter

5 tsp tahini

5 tsp dark soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

4 tsp honey or maple syrup

5 tsp rice wine vinegar

5 tbsp chilli oil

2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped

FOR THE NOODLES:

1 medium cucumber

150g sugar snap peas (or mange tout)

250g dried egg noodles

Small bunch of spring onions, finely sliced

Large bunch of coriander, leaves picked

4 tbsp peanuts, toasted and crushed

Method

Quarter the cucumber lengthways, scoop out the watery middle and set it aside. Cut the cucumber flesh into 5cm lengths, then into matchsticks. Cut the sugar snaps into long slices.

To make the sauce, put the watery middles from the cucumber into a small food processor with the peanut butter, tahini, soy, sesame oil, honey and vinegar. Blitz or whisk until smooth, then stir in the chilli oil and garlic.

Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water for a minute or so less than it says on the packet (about 4-5 mins), so they still have some bite. Drain and put into a serving bowl.

Pour the peanut sauce on top and toss together to dress the noodles. Add the cucumber and sugar snaps, and toss again, then top with the spring onions, coriander and crushed peanuts. If you like, finish with a little extra chilli oil.