Cold Ramen Noodle Salad with Ginger and Garlic Peanut Sauce

As my parents worked longer hours, my grandma moved in with us: a familiar rite of passage for many Asian immigrant families with working parents. A curious cold noodle dish called liang mian began showing up on the counter when I came home from school. My grandma told me it was a common everyday meal she would have during Taiwan summers, accessible at a cheap price at street stands. I had never seen a noodle slathered in peanut butter, a flavor I associated mostly with my favorite Reese’s Cups and peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches. Raw green cucumber slices sat right next to this peanut sauce, along with what looked like chopped scrambled egg. I hesitantly took one bite. It was definitely peanut butter, but its punches of soy sauce, garlic, and ginger tapped into another realm of savory flavor that made me want more. A second bite, with fresh cucumber and salty scrambled egg, made me a convert. The combination of chewy with crunchy and salty with sweet was delightfully refreshing, especially on a hot afternoon. I haven’t stopped eating this dish since. This recipe uses instant ramen, mostly for nostalgia’s sake. Our family loved the texture of instant ramen, its distinct chewiness still a staple of my pantry today; it’s also a noodle that delivers on value and efficiency. The toppings are made to be played with; try adding different ingredients like julienned raw carrots, celery, or mung bean sprouts to make the dish all your own.