I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again — go buy The Chinese Takeout Cookbook by Diana Kuan. Now about cold sesame noodles, I used to have them at a place back when I was around 21 years old. That set the gold standard for me, and I’ve never been quite satisfied since. I gave up on trying to find a good version in restaurants, but I do try every recipe I can find. Some recipes are too heavy on the sesame, some too much on peanut butter, some too salty, and some too sweet. Often they’re too gloppy. Then I tried Diana’s recipe. It’s just right, and maybe more important, it’s easily adaptable. Of course I used gluten-free soy sauce and some very good ride noodles. But I’ve made this recipe several times now (the perfect combination of sesame and peanut butter in the sauce, not too salty, not too sweet), and I wing it every time. The real recipe with cucumber and carrots is great for texture and highly recommended. Here I added tofu. I’ve even made it with Thai chicharonnes on top. (Darn, forgot to take a real photo of that, but here it is on my Instagram feed — you follow me on Instagram, right?) This recipe is now a staple in my house and one more reason why I love this book. And if by chance you’re celebrating, happy early Chinese New Year!