| 1 pound dried soba noodles or spaghetti |
2 Tbs. sugar |
| 1 cup Oriental sesame oil | 1 Tbs. balsamic or red wine vinegar |
| 1 cup soy sauce | 2 tsp salt |
| 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro | 8 green onions, thinly sliced |
| 2 to 3 jalapeño chilies, seeded, veins removed, minced |
1 cups lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped |
Cook noodles in large pot of rapidly boiling salted water until just tender, but
still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Rinse noodles with cold water until
cool. Drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Combine sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar
and salt in small bowl. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add to noodles. Add chopped cilantro,
green onions and chilies and mix well. Cover and refrigerate. Sprinkle chopped peanuts
over salad and serve. Salad can be prepared 1 day ahead.