chinesenoodlesvegansesamecold-dishquickbeginner

Liang Mian

Name: Liang Mian
Prep time: 4 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 9 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 160 g dried wheat noodles; 120 g cucumber; 20 g scallion; 45 g Chinese sesame paste; 30 ml light soy sauce; 15 ml chili oil; 10 ml rice vinegar; 6 g garlic; 5 ml maple syrup; 30 ml cold water; 5 g toasted sesame seeds

Liang Mian is a fast, refreshing bowl of chilled noodles coated in a silky sesame sauce with soy, garlic, and chili oil. Crisp cucumber and fresh scallion lighten the rich dressing, giving you a dish that is cooling, savory, nutty, and gently fiery all at once.

9 min

2 servings

460 kcal

Chinese

Ingredients

Noodles and vegetables

160 gdried wheat noodles
120 gcucumber
20 gscallion

Sesame sauce

45 gChinese sesame paste
30 mllight soy sauce
15 mlchili oil
10 mlrice vinegar
6 ggarlic
5 mlmaple syrup
30 mlcold water
5 gtoasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1
Bring a pot of water to a boil. While it heats, julienne the cucumber, finely slice the scallion, and grate or mince the garlic.
2
In a mixing bowl, whisk the Chinese sesame paste with the light soy sauce, chili oil, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and cold water until smooth and pourable. Stir in the garlic. If the paste looks tight or grainy at first, keep whisking; sesame paste loosens as liquid is incorporated.
3
Cook the noodles in the boiling water until just tender according to the package, usually 4-5 minutes for thin wheat noodles. Drain immediately, rinse under cold running water until fully cooled, and shake off excess water well so the sauce will cling rather than slide off.
4
Add the cooled noodles to the bowl of sesame sauce and toss thoroughly until every strand is evenly coated. If needed, loosen with a teaspoon or two of cold water so the noodles stay glossy, not stodgy.
5
Divide into 2 bowls and top with the cucumber, scallion, and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately as a cool, spicy noodle dish.

Nutrition per serving

460 kcal

Calories

14g

Protein

56g

Carbs

20g

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•Use thin wheat noodles or fresh alkaline noodles for the best texture and to keep within the 10-minute target.
•If you prefer a nuttier, richer sauce, add up to 10 ml more cold water gradually rather than extra oil.
•For a more Sichuan-style finish, use chili oil with sediment for deeper flavor.
•These noodles are best eaten right away, but can be chilled for up to 4 hours; toss with a splash of water before serving if they tighten up.

Background

Cold sesame noodles are a popular Chinese noodle preparation, especially associated with northern Chinese wheat-noodle traditions and with sesame-forward variations found across cities such as Wuhan and Sichuan-influenced regions. The dish emphasizes contrast: chewy chilled noodles, rich nutty sauce, and crisp fresh vegetables. Many versions exist, ranging from mild and savory to boldly spicy with chili oil and garlic.

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