Sesame Noodles

Ingredients
1 pound dried soba noodles or whole-wheat linguine
1 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated with a Microplane tool (about 2 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
¼ cup dark sesame oil
½ cup natural peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
Juice of 1 large lime
2 teaspoons sambal oelek or other chile sauce
Garnishes (any or all): fresh cilantro, thinly sliced green onions, mung bean sprouts, diced cucumber, diced green apple, roughly chopped roasted salted peanuts or cashews, cubed tofu

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, stir well and cook according to directions on package, being careful not to cook pasta past al dente.

Meanwhile, in a bowl large enough to hold and mix pasta when it's ready, whisk together the garlic, ginger, sesame oil, peanut butter, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice and sambal oelek. Stir until smooth and adjust seasonings to your taste. The pasta should be ready when you've finished the sauce.

Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water from the pot; drain noodles and add to sauce. Toss to coat well and add the reserved pasta water as needed to thin sauce.

Add sturdy, heavier garnishes such as green onions, cucumber, apple, or tofu. Toss well to incorporate and evenly distribute. Put noodles on a platter for serving and sprinkle generously with cilantro, mung beans and chopped nuts, if using.