CHILLED NOODLE SALADS BRIGHTEN UP MENUS

As warmer weather inches us toward summer's intense heat, menu choices move in new directions too. I find myself putting away the recipes for hot pasta that satisfied me all winter. Now I move toward cold noodles, easy to make and easy to eat.

My favorite cold noodle recipes are made with Asian pastas. You can buy them as udon, soba, somen, or Chinese rice noodles. To me, Asian noodles have more flavor in cold dishes than Italian semolina pastas.

Most can be found in natural foods stores, Asian markets or the Asian section of larger supermarkets. They're sold dried more often than fresh, wrapped in cellophane packages. About eight minutes in boiling water gives you noodles that easily adapt to salads or other cold dishes.

Soba is my favorite: coffee-colored noodles, made with buckwheat flour that make wonderful pasta al pesto. Udon noodles are thicker, made from wheat flour and have a slightly chewier texture and milder flavor. Somen are thin and white, and can be made from either wheat or buckwheat flour.

The most unusual of the Asian pastas is Chinese rice noodles, packaged in tight bundles wrapped with rubber bands -- rice noodles are as tough as coat-hanger wire until cooked, when they turn almost translucent.

I use about two quarts of boiling water to every pound of dried Asian pasta. Oil added to the water will keep the strands separated, but is not necessary if you rinse the cooked pasta immediately to wash away the starch. Salt brings the water to a boil faster and lightly flavors the pasta, but is also optional when the noodles are used in the highly flavored recipes that follow.

CHILLED ASIAN PESTO PASTA

My favorite chilled noodle dish combines udon with an Asian pesto made with miso paste. Miso tastes like solid soy sauce and is used as a seasoner for Asian soups and broths.

1 pound udon noodles

4 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pine nuts

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon light colored miso paste

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

2 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce

In large pot over high heat, cook udon in 2 quarts boiling water 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Drain well and rinse briefly under lukewarm water to rinse off starch.

In food processor fitted with steel blade, combine remaining ingredients and blend into chunky paste. Transfer to large bowl. Add noodles; stir to coat.

Cover and chill 1 hour. Serve on lettuce. Makes 4 servings.

CHILLED NOODLES WITH TAHINI SAUCE

This chilled creamy pasta dish was first created by Annemarie Colbin, founder of The Natural Gourmet Cookery School, New York, N.Y.. Here's my summer version, which adds vegetables.

10 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

10 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

1/4 cup chopped green onions

4 cups cooked soba noodles, chilled

In small bowl, stir together tahini and soy sauce until mixture thickens and begins to form small ball. Slowly add water by tablespoons to make creamy sauce. Add ginger; stir well. Add bell pepper, parsley and green onions.

Toss with cooked noodles. Makes 4 servings.

PLAIN NOODLES WITH PLUM VINAIGRETTE

This easy side dish is very piquant, a nice accompaniment to grilled foods.

1/4 cup olive oil

2 to 3 tablespoons rice vinegar or to taste

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 umeboshi plum (salted pickled Asian plum) pitted and mashed

1 teaspoon mirin (rice wine) or sugar

3 cups cooked soba or udon noodles, chilled

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped red bell pepper

In large bowl, combine oil, vinegar, garlic, umeboshi and mirin. Mix until umeboshi is completely incorporated and dressing is frothy. Taste for seasonings; add more vinegar, if desired.

Toss with noodles, cilantro and bell pepper. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 2 to 4 servings.

(Mary Carroll is the author of the ``No Cholesterol (No Kidding!) Cookbook,'' Rodale Press.)

(c) 2000, Mary Carroll. Distributed by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate.

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Author: Mary Carroll