chile oil

In this 20-minute recipe, a mixture of savory condiments coats bowlfuls of wide noodles chilled slightly by a quick rinse in cool water. While you cook the udon, take the time to prepare the sauce, abundant with contrasting flavors, and the fresh herbs. The sauce can be made in advance, but make sure it’s at room temperature before tossing it with the noodles and the cilantro at the last minute. Substitutions are welcome: Swap in chile crisp in place of the chile oil with crunchy garlic, or scallions in place of garlic chives. Sichuan chile oil brings a citrusy flavor that is hard to replicate, so don’t skip it. It can vary in spice level: For a milder sauce, use only the liquid oil, or add Sichuan peppercorns from the bottom of the oil for extra tingle. Fried shallots are here for texture, but omit them if you use chile crisp.

Chile-Oil Noodles With Cilantro

udon noodles

chile oil garlic

sesame oil

Sichuan chile oil,

soy sauce

garlic chives

store-bought fried shallots, crumbled by hand (optional)

cilantro

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook noodles according to package instructions, stirring from time to time to prevent them from sticking. Drain well in a colander, then run noodles under cold water until cooled.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine all three oils with the soy sauce and 1/2 cup garlic chives.

Toss cooled noodles into the chile oil mixture. Gently fold in the crumbled fried shallots and chopped cilantro. Divide among four bowls, and top with more garlic chives and cilantro sprigs.

Adapted from Food &amp; Wine 
Notes:

I'm essentially doing 3 times the recipe here, but keeping the seasonings/method mostly the same. 
Chicories: Use what you like, such as a mix of radicchio, Belgian endive, escarole, and frisée.
Chile oil: If you can't find chile oil at a store, you can order it online — I love this one from Temecula Olive Oil Co: Picante Pepper Olive Oil. Food and Wine provides a homemade version here: Homemade Chile Oil. 


Sautéed Endive and Radicchio with Chile Oil

olive oil

lbs pound mixed chicories, see notes above, roughly chopped

garlic cloves, smashed, divided

salt

white balsamic vinegar,

flaky sea salt,

chile oil, see notes above, to taste (optional)

Heat a generous tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add one smashed clove of garlic, one-third of the chicories, and a good pinch of salt. Cook, undisturbed, for 30 seconds. Then, using tongs, toss the greens quickly for another 10 to 20 seconds; then immediately transfer to a large serving bowl. Note: The chicories don&#8217;t have to be uniformly cooked, i.e. it&#8217;s OK if some of the greens are more wilted than others. The contrast in textures is nice. 

Repeat 2 more times, adding more olive oil, garlic, chicories and salt to the pan in the same manner.

Gently toss chicories with the 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Taste. Add sea salt and more vinegar to taste. Note: I always add more of both until it tastes sharp enough and nicely seasoned. Drizzle with chile oil to taste, or pass it on the side — passing on the side is a good option if anyone is sensitive to heat. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

This was such a treat!  I used some frisée from my weekly CSA.  I didn’t have chili oil on hand so I drizzled oil from my jar of    Calabrian chili peppers.  Will definitely make again as it was also so simple to throw together! 

Vietnamese chile lemongrass sate, or tương ớt sa tế is a spicy chile oil that will elevate any dish. This bold sauce gets its flavor from plenty of garlic and fragrant lemongrass.

Vietnamese Chile Lemongrass Sate Sauce (Tương Ớt Sa Tế)

neutral oil (like canola)

garlic,

lemongrass, finely chopped

chile flakes

tsp salt

Heat 1 cup oil on medium low heat

When oil comes to temperature, add lemongrass and let it heat for about 5 minutes

Add garlic and continue to heat for about 10 minutes

Add fresh chiles and stir. Continue to let mixture heat for another 10 minutes, being careful not to burn the ingredients.

Add chile flakes and heat for another 10 minutes

Add salt to taste, and cool before jarring

Add a thin layer of extra oil on top to keep sate fresh longer.

Absolutely love this recipe. We made pho tonight and I used this in it. We will be keeping it on hand for stirfry and a general condiment to spruce up any dish. Thank you.

This is so beautiful!  i love cooking Vietnamese food, but I'm never happy with the sauces in the little bottles, this will be perfect!

I am so excited I found your wonderful blog this recipe is one example of how wonderful your recipes are. I made this the other day and I was totally thrilled with the taste.

Oh yeah! This gorgeous condiment is getting a permanent spot in my fridge and it's going on EVERYTHING. Love the flavors and how easy it is. Thanks for sharing!

Serving as a luscious, umami sauce for pan-fried potstickers, peanut sauce yet again proves itself to be the hero of weeknight cooking. The sauce needs no cooking, just some hot water to soften the peanut butter, which also helps the sauce come together smoothly. By design, it is slightly runnier than usual, allowing it to casually drape over the dumplings. Right after whisking, the sauce may look too loose, but let it sit for a few minutes as it relaxes and thickens into the perfect consistency. Frozen potstickers — which have a flat base for pan-frying — work best, but you could use other types of dumpling too, cooking them according to their package instructions. The cucumbers are smashed and then salted, which not only draws out moisture, but also tenderizes them every so slightly, delivering just the right amount of freshness and crunch. 

Dumpling and Smashed Cucumber Salad With Peanut Sauce 

peanut

garlic clove, finely chopped

rice vinegar

sugar

Persian cucumbers

Salt

Vegetable oil oil

frozen potsticker dumplings (not thawed)

Toasted white sesame seeds

Chile crisp or chile oil,

NYT Cooking

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Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Greg Lofts.

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Prepare the sauce: Place the peanut butter, garlic and hot water into a medium bowl and whisk well to combine. (If the peanut butter separates and looks curdled, that’s OK. It will come back together after you add the other seasonings.) Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and chile crisp and whisk again until smooth and well combined. (It may look runny, but it will thicken up as it sits.)

Prepare the salad: Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and then into 2-inch lengths. Lay them cut side-down on a cutting board and, using the flat side of a chef’s knife or a rolling pin, smack the cucumbers until they break apart. Tear or cut them into bite-size pieces, if necessary.

Place the cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle with a pinch or 2 of salt. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture.

Meanwhile, heat a large (12-inch) nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes, until very hot. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil and, working in batches, add the dumplings, flat-side down, and cook until the bottoms are lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes.

Carefully add about 1/4 cup of water to the pan, just enough to cover the base of the dumplings, then immediately cover and cook until the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. (If your dumplings contain meat, cook for an extra 1 to 2 minutes, or according to package instructions.) Transfer the cooked dumplings to a plate and continue cooking the remaining dumplings. (If you prefer to steam the dumplings, see Tip.)

To serve, divide the dumplings among 4 plates or shallow bowls and top with the cucumbers. Spoon over a generous amount of peanut sauce, top with cilantro, sesame seeds or peanuts and a few drops of chile crisp/oil. Serve right away, while the dumplings are still warm, or at room temperature.

We've made this several times in the last several months because it is so yum. 
This August, my beautiful wife's garden cucumbers (Mediterranean and Persian) came in and OMG this dish goes to a whole new level with garden fresh cucumbers. 
Also, if we're feeling hungry, I'll try up half a block of firm tofu to add to the dish. 
Finally, a bed of shredded cabbage underneath for some roughage. 
This dish is both "chef's kiss" and fast.

WOW oh WOW is this good!!! I had Trader Joes Thai peanut dressing so I used that instead of making the sauce. Cilantro, scallion and chile crisp finish off so nicely! I will make this again and again!

The bag trick for the cucumbers was super helpful - that would have been a mess lol.
Will try chicken stock instead of water next time!

I forgot to salt and drain the cucumbers, which caused the dish to be more watery than intended. Even if I don’t forget this step next time, I think I’d make the sauce with less water than called for and add more if needed.

I made this with mint and basil, which were terrific and better than what I imagine cilantro would have tasted like. Also, based on comments here I reduced peanut butter to 1/4 cup and added toasted sesame oil. Very good! Super

This is a great recipe! I added some shallots to the salad.

Might be one of my favorite recipes here. Much yummier than I expected! Will make again for sure.

Why didnt I make this sooner??? Ridiculously easy and I loved the sauce. We have peanut allergies so I used tahini and less water (from the comments this seemed the way to go) and this was so delicious! I garnished with chopped scallions. Will definitely make this again. Used frozen Korean vegetable dumplings (tofu inside)

Made a half-recipe, using Bibigo frozen mini chicken and cilantro dumplings from Costco and lightly toasted sesame seeds for the topping. I also followed another reader's advice to use liquid from the draining cucumbers for part of the water, and I raided our stash of recycled bread bags and whatnot for smashing the cukes. This was absolutely delicious, and no, it is not too much sauce! It's the second time I've made this, and it will be on regular rotation year-round.

Not having enough cucumbers for this I added tomatoes per Hetty’s other Fabulous dumpling salad. I thinned the dressing just a tad to go over all but it was grand!

With a few alterations I find this to be a comforting meal. I use Trader Joe's vegetable gyoza. For the sauce I use 1/3 cup water, add ginger, 2 cloves garlic, some black vinegar and 4 tps chili crisp. 
Huge thanks to the person who shared the video about smashing cucumbers; it saved me the mess others were experiencing. Cut them in 1/2 length-wise, push down on the skin side with a knife, then cut. And toss with rice vinegar and soy sauce.

My husband absolutely will not eat cucumbers (no zucchini / summer squash either.) I'm thinking bok choy instead, but wondering if anyone has come up with a great substitute.

It's not hard to make your own dumplings!  I use a food processor to turn a can of water chestnuts, some cilantro, ground pork, garlic and scallions into a filling and assemble with wonton wrappers before steaming, but they are yummy fried too.

This was delicious. I used less water in the sauce as others have recommended and added lime juice and fish sauce. We used mint as our cilantro had rotted and it was great.

I placed the cut cucumbers into a ziplock bag and sealed it before I smashed the cucumbers. It kept them from squirting across the cutting board.

Loved this! The second time I made it, I slightly decreased the peanut butter and added a little drizzle of sesame oil. I cook all of the dumplings at once in a large skillet arranged in concentric circles, just like mom did when I was little; and I used chicken stock instead of water as she did. Addictive.

What a find! Dead easy, delicious, and easy on the budget. And it tastes much more sophisticated than its simple preparation implies. MORE LIKE THIS PLEASE!

The sauce stayed runny, so next time I'll add less water than called for. 

I confess to a couple tweaks. I added fresh corn, and because I prefer vegetable potstickers I added cubed high-protein tofu, tossed with a bit of the sauce and roasted it for a few minutes. 

This was an unusual, tasty way to enjoy summer's cucumbers and corn.

I've finally found a delicious, frozen dumplings/potstickers: Bibigo.  Fantastic dumplings.  I will be using them in this recipe tonight.  Our local grocery stores carry them, as does Wegmans.  Nothing I've ever tried comes even close to these!!!

Does anyone have a favorite Chili Crisp brand?

Delicious! Gave me all the energy I needed to wipe the kitchen floors and walls of all the cucumber guts I shot out in the process. 

Heed that ziploc advice.

@Ken way more fun to chase the pieces around the kitchen floor before the dogs get them

You could try Chinese sesame paste (or use tahini if you want a milder taste); look for anything labeled "zhi ma jiang" at Asian grocery stores or online

Does anyone have a recommendation for frozen potstickers?

@Nancy, I love the momofuku chile crisp.

We prefer Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chile Crisp over all others.

Fly By Jiang is only ordinary and is also ridiculously overpriced. Momofuku's version is okay.

If your family is heat-averse, Trader Joe's Chile Onion Crunch is basically an Americanized chile crisp that's only just barely hot, and it will do in a pinch.

it's a lot easier to 'smash' the cut cucumbers by laying a cutting board over them and then smacking that with a cast iron frying pan or something else heavy

Made this last night, we all loved it. Served it over basmati rice, used Trader Joe's veggie potstickers and Trader Joe's Chili Oil. I halved the chile oil because I'm sensitive to heat. Pretty easy meal, and delicious! Next time I'll add chives and slivered snow peas.

@Ken thank you so much for that suggestion.  I can’t believe I didn’t think of it myself!

I have used almond butter in similar recipes - our house is also peanut free

Turns out, dan dan noodles work well as a salad, in this recipe adapted from my cookbook “Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor” (Knopf, 2025), as the signature punchy sauce made with sesame paste and chile oil transforms nicely into an assertive dressing. Curly and chewy ramen noodles cling perfectly to the sauce, but you could really use any noodle you like, including instant noodles, udon or thick rice noodles. Adapt this salad throughout the year by adding seasonal vegetables such as mushrooms, broccoli, cauliﬂower, sugar snap peas, snow peas, spinach or green beans.

Dan Dan Noodle Salad

Sea salt

baby bok choy (about 4)

ramen noodles

10 ounces fresh or canned corn kernels (or thawed from frozen)

toasted white sesame seeds

scallions, thinly sliced

sesame paste

black or rice vinegar

garlic clove, grated

unsweetened nondairy milk (such

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Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. Prop Stylist: Sophia Eleni Pappas.

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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 

Separate the white and green parts of the baby bok choy. Slice the white parts into thick pieces. Place in a colander and rinse well to remove any dirt or sediments. Drain.

Add the ramen to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to packet directions. About 1½ minutes before the noodles are ready, add the white parts of the baby bok choy and the corn. Just before everything is ready, throw in the green bok choy leaves and blanch until they are wilted, about 20 seconds. Drain immediately and refresh under cold running water, then leave to drain again. Let cool while you make the dressing.

Make the dan dan dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame paste, chile oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and garlic until a chunky paste forms. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk and whisk, adding another tablespoon if needed, until the dressing is smooth and pourable. The dressing should be the consistency of cream. (The dressing can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and stored in a sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge. It will thicken up, so add a splash or two of milk or water to loosen it up before adding to the noodles.)

In a large shallow bowl, place the ramen noodles, greens and corn. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Top with the sesame seeds, scallions and a few drops of chile oil. Taste and season with salt if needed. Serve at room temperature.

Unable to find bok choy so I added chopped long stem broccoli and mushrooms, added diced chicken breast and shrimp and turned it into a stir fry in my wok. Made the sauce to the recipe and spooned it over the hot food. Delicious and healthy meal.

Love this, came together easily. No tahini so used cashew butter. Subbed maple syrup for sugar. Doubled the sauce per others’ suggestions and glad I did. Threw in a few handfuls of spinach just before draining, which added yumminess. Will definitely make again!

Not a fan. Way too spicy for me. Sister OK with spice level but not blown away. I did use not as young baby bok choy. Ramen noodles from the package ended up too soft for her. The leaves were tough. Made a huge amount. Tossing the remainder. Not a keeper.

Made this today for the first time.  I don’t like food really hot so I added cayenne mixed in canola oil to taste.  I found this very bland.  I added extra garlic, onion powder, and vinegar.  Topped with seasoned tofu.  Also added less sugar and additional salt.  Not sure where I went wrong but found it lacking.

I added zucchini instead of bok choy and some pre-cooked shrimp that only needed defrosting and heating up in the water for a minute after the noodles are almost done. It is super adjustable and you can throw in or take out whatever you like I used peanut butter because I didn't have any sesame and next time I will try bok choy

This was fantastic! Because of family preferences, we used a different kind of noodle, chickpea flour. But it was great anyway. The sauce was amazing and I will use this sauce again for other things. It would be great on all manner of vegetables and proteins. I used Lao Gan Ma chili crisp and Yamaroku shoyu, which probably went a long way to making it so good. But really, this sauce would be amazing on anything.

This is tasty. I like the sauce concept a lot and it would work in other variations with other dishes. I would note that it didn’t really taste much like the hot Dan Dan noodles we get at the restaurants as it was lacking the Szechuan peppercorn flavor and ground protein, but it is good in its own different way.

I might try to remake it in case I made a mistake but this just didn't taste remotely like any dan dan noodles I've ever had.  I don't know what i did wrong but my sauce really wasn't good--bitter, needed more acidity and more flavor in general. Used tahini and rice vinegar because I didn't have Chinese sesame paste or black vinegar on hand, maybe that was it.  Or maybe the garlic clove I used was too strong.  Also I felt the veggie to noodle ratio was off.  Needs more veg to count as a salad.

This was good, but a little bland. I made half the salad and 2/3 of the dressing and there still wasn’t enough. Will try it again, with more dressing and maybe some sautéed mushrooms for more umami.

I felt I needed the greens doubled or maybe tripled. My husband used the small bok choy. It just wasn’t enough.

This came together in under 10 minutes with pantry and fridge staples. I didn't have corn, but lots of vegetables would be decent substitutes. It was flavorful and filling. I used dry rice Ramen. Truly, the 25 minute prep/cooking time is an overestimate.

A hit with adults and very young children. I left the chili crisp out and recommended it as a condiment on the table. Here's what else I used that varied from the recipe:for the salad,  about 5 1/2 oz of dried ramen noodles and a handful of stringbeans in addition to the corn and bok choy; for the dressing, which I made 1 1/2 times the recipe, I used tahini, tamari, rice vinegar, and water. Next time a little sesame oil before serving. This was good!

I am making this tonight. Will add Parmesean. Just my taste.

So very good!  Quick and easy.  Done in 20 minutes from the time I entered the kitchen. I  added zucchini because it’s still showing up as a daily contribution from my garden.  I will forever have these ingredients on hand in my kitchen.

I really liked this dish! I would double the sauce and add more veggies/ do less noodles next time. I also think crumbled and crisped tofu would be delicious here.

This was a great dish. The sauce is the star and we 1.5x it because I always like extra sauce. We also used water b/c we don’t have fake milk. Added tofu for protein. Will definitely have this recipe on our rotation!

This was as good as it read. I used mushrooms rather than corn, and water (have no fake milk) to thin the dressing - which to me, really made this work.
I didn't miss the pork at all, and for me, that's saying something. It was easy to scale down for one w/lunch the next day.

Delicious! I thought I had enough ramen noodles (dried) but I didn't, so I subbed soba (also dried). I just added a pinch of the sugar instead of the full amount and used half the chili oil. Thank goodness I didn't add all the chili oil, it was spicy enough for us. I had a coconut/oat milk half and half and that was perfect for the non-dairy milk. I'll definitely make it again and try to get fresh ramen noodles. I also might add some tofu and mushrooms.

@tanooh like the idea of adding tofu! Thank you.

This one’s a real winner! Totally delicious. You can adapt the dressing to suit your taste. I used chile crisp and Szechuan peppercorns. I kept the proportions as written, but doubled the dressing. I used 8 oz dried (not instant) ramen noodles and found that this amount of dressing was perfect.

@TiCo how did the soba work? Im looking to sub out the ramen totally for dietary reasons.

Because non-dairy milk is better for the planet and kind to animals.

Practically speaking, if this salad is going to be eaten right away, it probably doesn’t make a difference what milk you use. But if the dish will be at room temperature for a while (for example, you’re packing the dish for a lunch that doesn’t get refrigerated or taking it to a potluck where dishes sit out on a table), a non-dairy milk presents less risk of spoilage.

I’ll probably try soy milk for this dish for the protein.

I enjoyed this and appreciated how quick it came together. I doubled the sauce since I’d added extra noodles and veggies but it didn’t need that much. The sauce is delish and I didn’t miss any creaminess from the added milk. Water worked well to thin to the right consistency. It’s a great weeknight meal that provides perfect leftovers for a lunch that doesn’t need to be heated the next day

@Anon-E-Mouse non-dairy milks are not necessarily better, often they contain a number of added ingredients, such as preservatives, oils, fats, emulsifiers and artificial stabilisers. Sometimes, they contain sugars - but not always.

Delicious Sunday family lunch and used leftover sauce to marinate some chicken thighs which I barbecued the next day. Husband and father in law thought it the best chicken ever!

Any particular reason that it needs to be non=dairy milk?

@tan I was wondering how to get some necessary protein into this dish! Thanks

Dan Dan noodle sauce don’t have milk or milk substitute.  You need dry noodles but not ramen noodles.  Then you can use the water from cooking the noodles instead of ”milk”, just like in pasta. Also, if you don’t have sesame paste, you can easily substitute with creamy peanut butter (Skippy or Jif, homogenized peanut butter).

@peter

Yep! That’s why I’ve been making my own oatmilk lately. It doesn’t stay emulsified as well, but I just shake it up when I use it. I’m a blender, whir for about 70 seconds: 1/2 c oats, 2 T maple syrup, 1/4 salt, 1/2 t vanilla, 3 c water. Strain it through a sieve twice, to get rid of most of the solids. 

But for this recipe, I’d probably just use water.

Pamonha (pronounced pa-mon-ya) is made from fresh corn that is grated or blended with coconut to make a paste, wrapped in corn leaves and then steamed. The word is derived from the Tupi-Guarani dialect word “pa’muna,” which means sticky, or “apa-mimoia,” meaning wrapped and cooked. Pamonha is traditionally eaten during the Festa Junina, a festival in the northeast of Brazil that celebrates the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. Pamonha can be made sweet with condensed milk, cheese and guava jam, or savory, filled with meat and cheese. This untraditional version, adapted from my book “Fusão: Untraditional Recipes Inspired by Brasil” (Interlink Books, 2025), is topped with a red pepper ragout, and happens to be vegan, making it a great option for an exciting meatless centerpiece.

Corn and Coconut Pamonha

red bell peppers

store-bought chile oil,

tomato paste

flaky sea salt

garlic clove, grated or crushed

curry powder

corn kernels

quick-cooking polenta or cornmeal

Scant ½ cup canned full-fat coconut milk (mix well before measuring)

onion,

coconut oil,

fine sea salt

baking powder

cumin

twists of freshly cracked pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon)

oil scallion greens

limes, halved

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David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.

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Make the ragout: Heat the broiler to high. Place the peppers on a pan and broil for 7 to 10 minutes, until soft and nicely charred in parts (but not completely burned). Turn the peppers over and broil until the other side is also soft and nicely charred in parts, about 7 minutes more.

Cool the peppers, then deseed and remove some of the skin, leaving some on for color and flavor. Tear the peppers into strips and put them into a pan with the rest of the ragout ingredients. Place on medium heat and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Make the pamonha: Place all the ingredients except for the banana leaves into a food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a baking dish half-filled with water in the bottom of the oven to create steam.

Cut 10 (5 ½- by 6 ½-inch) rectangles out of banana leaves or parchment paper. Lightly brush with coconut oil. Spoon about ⅓ cup/80 grams of the pamonha mix into the center of each banana leaf. Use your hands to form into a 2 ½-by-3-inch rectangle. Brush with a little coconut oil. Fold the two longer sides of the banana leaf together to enclose the pamonha on either side. Place on a large rimmed baking sheet, seam side up, while you continue with the rest. Once all the pamonha are formed, transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until just set, then set aside to cool for a few minutes.

Open the parcels and top with some of the ragout, followed by a spoonful of yogurt. Drizzle over some chile oil and serve with sliced scallions and fresh lime squeezed on top.

When loaded with vegetables, noodle salads offer a perfect bridge between lightness and comfort. In this recipe, thick silky rice noodles (use the pad Thai variety) are freshened up with crunchy cucumbers, offering a pleasing textural contrast. Smashing the cucumbers creates jagged edges that are perfect for catching the dressing; salting them briefly helps to remove excess moisture without sacrificing crunch. The simple tahini dressing is nutty and creamy, deepened with salty soy sauce and enlivened with a touch of rice vinegar. The result is a versatile noodle dish that can be served at room temperature and also travels well for picnics, potlucks or desk lunches.

Cold Sesame Noodles With Smashed Cucumbers

Persian cucumbers (about 14 ounces), trimmed

Salt and pepper

rice noodles (pad Thai-style)

tahini

garlic clove, finely grated

sesame or chile oil

cilantro, leaves and tender stems roughly chopped

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Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

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Prepare the salad: Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise. Lay them cut side-down on a cutting board and, using the flat side of a chef’s knife or a rolling pin, smack the cucumbers until they break apart. Tear or cut them into bite-size pieces, if necessary.

Place the cucumbers in a colander set in the sink and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the noodles, stirring to prevent sticking, and cook according to package instructions.

In a large bowl, add the tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar and garlic. Add 2 tablespoons of water and whisk until smooth. It should be thick but quite loose, so it can coat the noodles without being gluggy; add more water if you need to thin it out a little.

Give the cucumbers a quick squeeze to remove excess moisture and add them to the tahini dressing along with the noodles, tofu and cilantro. Using tongs or your hands, toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper, drizzle in the sesame or chile oil and toss again. Serve at room temperature.

maybe goofy question but what do you mean by baked tofu, and can I prepare this on my own without having to search out a prepared product in the store?

Persian cucumbers are very small and the skins are thinner. Diva cucumbers are another name.

@Rebecca I have an abundance of cucumbers in my garden. Plain jane cucumbers.  Which I am sure will be excellent in this recipe. If you use whatever cucumber you can find at your local grocery store, I'm sure it will be excellent too.

Most of those things I can find at my local grocery store or through Amazon, but Persian cucumbers? No. Regular cucumbers are not a problem. What is the difference between the two?

Finding required ingredients for most NYT recipes keeps me from making many of the dishes. Not everyone lives in areas where the needed items are available. One would have to drive quite a ways and deal with a subway system or city traffic, or a 46 mile trip that's closer. Definitely not worth the effort.

I found this recipe in need of acid, so I increased the vinegar and added fresh grated ginger.

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