Chinese Peanut Sesame Noodles

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup warm water
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 medium garlic clove, chopped
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1 lb Fresh Chinese plain wide noodles
4 scallions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Purée first 9 ingredients together in a food processor until smooth, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl.

Cook pasta in a 6-to 8-quart pot of boiling water until tender. Drain in a colander, then rinse well under cold water. Add noodles, scallions and sesame seeds to dressing, toss to combine and serve immediately.

Do not mix noodles and dressing together too much ahead as it will get thick and gloppy (is that a word??). You can make the dressing ahead and set aside. Make the noodles, making sure to rinse really well and then store them in a ziplock bag with a little water added to keep them loose. When ready to serve, drain off the water from the noodles and toss with the dressing, scallions and sesame seeds.

Enjoy!!