Conference turris::cooks

Sweet butter?  That's highly unusual in a Chinese recipe.  I'll be the
original called for lard.

--PSW

    If you're a lover of Chinese Hot/Spicy Noodles, this is a great recipe.
    
    "Chinese Noodles/Hot Sesame Sauce"
    
    Ingredients:	8 oz. Pkg. of Fresh Chinese Noodles
    			1 Tbsp. + 1 Tsp. Oriental sesami oil
    			3 Tbsp. Strong freshly brewed tea
    			2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
    			2 Tbsp. Oriental Sesame Paste
    			1 Tbsp. Peanut Oil
    			1 Tbsp. Chili Paste with Garlic
    			1 Tbsp. Chinese Rice Wine or Dry Sherry
    			1 Tsp.  Honey
    			1 Tsp.  Grated fresh gingerroot
    			1 Tbsp. Fresh Coriander (Cilantro)
    			1 Tbsp. Sliced Scallion tops
    
    1) Cook noodles in salted boiling water until "aldente", or firm, about
    5 minutes.  Drain.  Rinse with cold water, drain again.  Place noodles
    on a clean towel; shake towel to blot excess moisture.  Toss the
    noodles with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.  Set aside.
    
    2) Wisk remaining 1 tablespoon esame oil, tea, soy sauce, sesame paste,
    peanut oil, chili paste, wine, honey, and ginger until smooth.  Toss
    with the cooked noodles.  Sprinkle with coriander and scallions; toss
    once.
    
    This recipe is delicious cold or hot.
    
    MD

    
    
    Are Chinese noodles the same as "bean thread" noodles? 
    (are bean thread noodles the same as glass noodles?)
    We bought a package of bean thread noodles, and now have
    no idea what to do with them. This recipe sounds great,
    if we have the right noodles at home I'll try it this
    weekend!
    
    Deb
    

  Where can you buy fresh coriander? 

  Also, I've often wondered the difference in between the scallion top 
version the bottom.  (I presume "top" refers to the dark green part?)
What's the difference?  Or, more precisely, why do some recipes call
for different parts?  

--Sharon

    RE: .1 --
    
    See note 1672 for a discussion about cellophane noodles (bean thread
    noodles).
    
    Cara
    

RE: .2

You can buy fresh coriander in most oriental and many Spanish or Italian
markets.  The Spanish name is cilantro.

In the Nashua, NH area, you can get it at Joyce Chen's grocery store in
Amherst.  As you leave Nashua on rte 101A (exit 7 off the Turnpike), it is in
one of those mall plazas off on your left, just before you reach the Midori
restaurant.

--PSW

    Deb,
    
    The Chinese noodles used in this recipe look very much the same as
    fresh "Angel Hair" you'd buy in any grocery store.  I buy the chinese
    noodles here at a local Oriental Grocery store in the refrigerator
    section of the store.  They are moist and sold in 8oz. to 1lb. plastic
    bags.  They're pretty cheap too - around $1.00 a pound.
    
    I don't know what to tell you about the "bean thread noodles" - never
    used them.
    
    Hope this helps.
    
    MD

re:.2 and .5

Chances are you will find it in Indian/South Asian stores also.  I buy mine at
Joyce Chen in Acton MA because it is closer to where I live but I bet you can 
find it in East/West Foods in the Lamplighter Mall on Daniel Webster in 
Nashua NH.

Supermarkets will also carry it on occasion. Usually (in my experience) if there 
are a lot of ethnic groups in the area or if the store is on the yuppie side, 
you might find it under cilantro in the produce section.

-- Nisha

Incidentally many oriental users of corriander (or cilentro or chinese parsley,
its all the same stuff) use the *whole* plant - including the roots.

Having found a supermarket that sells it you could try asking if they have 
any they haven't prettied up yet...

/. Ian .\

    If you're fond of this dish (and I am) you may find it difficult to
    order in Chinese restaurants because so many different names are used
    to describe it. I've heard:
    
    	cold noodles with sesame paste
    	hunan noodles with chili [oil]
    	cold sesame noodles
    	and so on.
    
    The name for it in Mandarin is pronounced: "Lian Mien", both
    inflections descending. Phoeneticly, "LEE-ahn MEE-yen".
    
    This will often get it for you when you can't find it on the menu.
    
    Max
    

>>    The name for it in Mandarin is pronounced: "Lian Mien", both
>>    inflections descending. Phoeneticly, "LEE-ahn MEE-yen".

When I was in Taiwan, I eat a dish like this all the time, and there it's 
called "Ma-jian Mien" which means "sesame noodles".  They sell them at noodle
stands all over the city of Taipei.  I'm not sure if this is the same thing
as the Lian Mien.

>>>Ken

    Pretty sure it's the same thing, different dialect (It's Cantonese in
    Taiwan, I suspect.)
    
    Mandarin:  Knee How Mah  (How are you?)
                 -   \   /
    Cantonese:  Noh  Ha      (Same thing)
                 \    -
    
    It's not like Chinese wasn't difficult enough already, but they have
    to have six or seven dialects to keep you on your feet...
    

    The official dialect of Taiwan is Mandarin -- because of the "Gov't in
    exile" business.  There is also a much more obscure dialect used
    by the indigenous peoples.
    
    ed