Peanut Butter & Bell Pepper Chilled Noodles

On a hot summer’s day, there’s nothing like a bowl of icy noodles to cool you down. The creamy richness of the peanut butter and roasted bell pepper sauce gives you the pick-me-up you need to keep you both full and light feeling.

What are Chilled Noodles?

Chilled noodle dishes (usually in a sesame sauce) originate from China and are said to date all the way back to the Tang Dynasty(around 618-906 AD) by the first empress in Chinese history, Wu Zetian. Since this time it has long become a summer staple to help beat the heat. There are many dishes that utilize this method, and this recipe is just my take on thousands of years of innovation that I don’t claim to take any credit for.

Wheat noodles, among others, have been the go-to for these types of dishes for several reasons. These are generally the most common noodle found all over China, but originally originated in the northern provinces where wheat had become a more common crop than rice due to harsher weather.

How do they work?

Starch Molecule

These plain wheat noodles are made from water, wheat, and salt. These noodles are usually grey or white, whereas the yellow noodles often seen are Yellow Alkaline Noodles where the salt used for the plain wheat noodles is replaced with a combination of potassium carbonate and sodium. The different types of wheats used in noodles being produced have different levels of starch in them. This can effect the swelling power, water-holding capacity, viscoelasticity, and shape of the noodles after boiling.

The starch content of these wheat noodles are also what allows them to be chilled without losing their structural integrity. Starch is a polymeric carbohydrate made up of many glucose molecules and joined by glycosidic bonds and is used to store energy for the plant. We utilize this polysaccharide (“many-sugars”) to give us that energy instead.

The initial boiling of the noodles causes the unwinding of the double-amylose helix and increases the flexibility of the starch molecules. That’s why boiled noodles are bendy and dried noodles snap. If it heats too much, you get a noodle mush because the flexibility has increased too much and destroys the bonds altogether and induce gelatinization. This heating also causes starch-water hydrogen bonds to form, which is where your starchy pasta water comes from. This liquid is a result of the gelatinization process of some of those starch molecules.

These chilled noodles are able to hold their structure because of the tight structure of these starch-water bonds. Because of their affinity for strong bonding, they cling to almost anything they touch, including each other. Adding the oil to your chilled noodles or rinsing them off reduces that polar contact needed to created strong bonding just by sitting still. This is also great because this property is what allows your amazing sauces to cling to your noodles!

Looking for more Noodles?

Chilled Peanut Butter & Roasted Bell Pepper Noodles

Simone Peironnet | 7/24/2022

• prep time: 10
  
• cook time, fresh: 45
  
• cook time, jarred: 5
  
• total time: 15-55 minutes

Servings: 3

Ingredients:

• 1 Red Bell Pepper OR Jarred Roasted Bell Pepper
• 1/4 Cup Peanut Butter, smooth
• 2 Tbsp Hot Water
• 1/8 Cup Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Sherry Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, or Rice Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Honey OR Sugar
• 8oz Wheat Noodles
• Sliced Scallions, for garnish
• Chopped Peanuts, for garnish
• Garlic Chilli Oil, for garnish (recipe)

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Instructions:

1. If using a fresh bell pepper, preheat oven to 425F/220C. Slice bell pepper in half, removing the stem and seeds, before coating with oil and placing on a lined baking tray. Sprinkled with salt and bake for 40 minutes. Skip this step if using jarred roasted peppers.
   

2. Cook your noodles per the package instructions, then run under cold water until chilled and easily handled.
   

3. In a jar or bowl, combine your peanut butter and hot water. Mix until emulsified and smooth, with the hot water helping melt down the peanut butter into a better consistency for the sauce. Add your soy sauce, vinegar, and honey to your emulsified peanut butter, then continue to mix until combined.
   

4. Add your roasted pepper and any oils that rendered from the bake into your peanut butter mixture. Blend until smooth.
   

5. Divide your noodles between the serving bowls, then top with a generous dollop of your rich, creamy sauce. Drizzle your garlic chilli oil over the top, then garnish with your scallions and toasted peanuts. Serve cold and enjoy!
   

   
   

Want to show your never-ending love for noodles? No problem!

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