Taiwanese Cold Sesame Noodles (Liang Mian)

About This Recipe

Taiwanese Cold Sesame Noodles is a real, traditional Taiwanese dish, known as Liang Mian. Chilled wheat noodles tossed in a nutty sesame-soy dressing with julienned cucumber, a favorite hot-weather lunch across Taiwan.\n\nLiang mian, or 'cold noodles', became especially popular in Taiwan's hot, humid summers as a quick, no-cook-required lunch, drawing on broader Chinese cold noodle traditions adapted with local sesame paste and black vinegar.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Taiwanese home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 300 gfresh wheat noodles
• 3 tbsptoasted sesame paste or tahini
• 2 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tbspblack vinegar
• 1 tbspsugar
• 1 tsptoasted sesame oil
• 1 tspchili oil(optional)
• 2garlic cloves(minced)
• 2 tbspwater(to thin)
• 1cucumber(julienned)
• 2scallions(thinly sliced)
• 1 tbsptoasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the noodles

   Boil the noodles according to package instructions until just tender, then drain and rinse immediately under cold water to stop cooking and remove excess starch.

2. 2

   Toss with oil

   Toss the cooled noodles with a touch of sesame oil to prevent sticking; set aside.

3. 3

   Make the dressing

   Whisk together sesame paste, soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, chili oil and garlic, thinning with water until pourable.

4. 4

   Combine

   Pour the dressing over the noodles and toss thoroughly to coat every strand.

5. 5

   Add the vegetables

   Top with julienned cucumber and scallions.

6. 6

   Finish

   Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Variations

• •

  Add shredded poached chicken for a more substantial main-dish salad.

• •

  Swap black vinegar for rice vinegar for a milder, brighter tang.

• •

  Add blanched bean sprouts for extra crunch, a common addition in casual eateries.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions