EaT Your Chill

When it’s hot, we just want to cool down. This summer, The Times Test Kitchen kept the heat down with these terrific cold pastas. Test Kitchen Director Donna Deane developed an Asian shrimp and noodle salad. Cook Mayi Brady used Mexican flavors for her lime-cilantro chicken with orzo. And Julianne Ryan, our summer intern from the California Culinary Academy, used her experience as a chef in Hong Kong to come up with these “Chinatown” udon noodles.

CHINATOWN NOODLES

CILANTRO DRESSING

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 1/2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons hoisin sauce

3 tablespoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon lemon oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Salt

Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, lemon oil, cilantro and salt to taste. Set aside.

SALAD

1 (21-ounce) package jumbo udon noodles

1 bunch Chinese broccoli

1 tablespoon oil

2 long red chiles, cut into thin strips

1 pound Chinese barbecued pork, cut into thin strips

2 mangoes, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

Cook udon noodles in boiling salted water about 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely.

Remove stalks from broccoli and peel. Cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Cut leaves in ribbons.

Heat wok over high heat and add oil. Add broccoli and stir-fry about 2 minutes until stalks are crisp tender. Add chiles when broccoli is almost done. Remove from heat and cool.

Toss together noodles, broccoli, pork and mango. Toss with Cilantro Dressing. Chill until serving time.

Makes 10 servings.

Each serving contains about:

279 calories; 1,699 mg sodium; 41 mg cholesterol; 13 grams fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 17 grams protein; 0.96 gram fiber.

ASIAN SHRIMP AND NOODLE SALAD

DRESSING

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Combine vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and garlic. Set aside.

SALAD

1/2 (16-ounce) package fresh Chinese noodles

1 pound shrimp, peeled, cooked and drained

1 Japanese cucumber, peeled and sliced

4 green onions, cut into thin strips

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, cut into thin strips

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Lime wedges

Cook noodles according to package direction. Drain.

Toss together cooked noodles, shrimp, sliced cucumber, green onions, mint and coriander leaves. Toss with Dressing and serve with lime wedge.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

351 calories; 1,519 mg sodium; 172 mg cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 56 grams carbohydrates; 26 grams protein; 0.35 gram fiber.

LIME-CILANTRO CHICKEN WITH ORZO

CHICKEN

1/4 cup lime juice

3 tablespoons minced cilantro

1/3 teaspoon salt

1 pasilla chile, roasted peeled, seeded and sliced

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 red onion, sliced thin

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup sugar

1 pound boneless chicken breasts

Combine lime juice, cilantro, salt, chile, cumin, oil, onion, garlic, wine and sugar in large bowl. Pour into large sealable plastic bag, add chicken breasts and mix well to combine. Seal tightly and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

Remove chicken from marinade and grill over high heat or on barbecue about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Let cool about 15 minutes, then cut into 1/2-inch slices.

ORZO

1/2 pound orzo, cooked and rinsed

2 tomatoes, roasted and chopped

2 pasilla chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and sliced

1 small red onion, sliced very thin

1/2 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese

1/2 cup minced cilantro

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Put 1 quart water in pot. Add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil.

Add orzo and cook until done, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain.

Combine chicken and any juices, tomatoes, roasted chiles, onion, cheese, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar, salt and orzo in large bowl. Toss well and serve at room temperature.

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

450 calories; 400 mg sodium; 42 mg cholesterol; 25 grams fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams protein; 0.59 gram fiber.