When Basketball Isn't Really Basketball...

It's called Pre-Season.

And welcome to it.

As I write this blog, I am in the midst of watching my beloved Lakers play the Golden State Warriors in yet another painfully amateur pre-season game. I don't mean to sound ungrateful. After all, I was complaining and crying about the void in my life left when basketball went on summer vacation.

But this?? Seeing Blake Griffin posterize Mbenga? I know it's Blake Griffin...but this is the Clippers!! The Clippers!!! And all these unfamiliar faces that probably won't see the regular season before being cut. Gaffney? Who's that? I have no idea. But he just totally ate it. And why are his shoes different from the rest of the team? Oh there he goes. Limping away. And the announcers! "No one wins the battle with the floor. I don't care who you are. Mr. Floor wins." Geees Stu.

What. the. heck.

And yet I still watch. What can I say? I'm a fan. And each pre-season game means that I'm one game closer to the regular season. Yesssssssss.

The regular season is well underway with the NFL. And it's been awesome!! And in my opinion, good games are best watched with tasty treats. Last night was MNF showcasing the Broncos at the Chargers. 5-0 Broncos...and well, the non 5-0 Chargers. I like that Sproules dude. I could take a few running tips from him. And the Japanese part of me was in the mood for someting noodle-y. So I decided on these sesame noodles I saw one day while perusing the online food world. But...I didn't have any soba or udon noodles! Yikes! What kind of Japanese am I? All I had was capellini, penne and fusilli. But I did have shoyu. I feel slightly redeemed.



These noodles are a good balance of salty and sweet. They were a little sweet for my taste, so I did scale back on the sugar. And I'm kinda weird about chopped garlic floating around, so I crushed a clove with the side of knife and let it simmer in the sauce and removed it before serving. But if you don't have such strange issues, then feel free to chop yours. I also squeezed some lemon over the whole thing right before serving, and I think that makes it extra special. I had half an English cucumber, so I tossed that in, but I also think some mint would be rather nice.

Sesame Noodles
adapted from The Pioneer Woman

1/2 cup shoyu (soy sauce) I like the Aloha Brand, but feel free to use your fav
2-3 Tbsp. sugar (depending on your preference. Start with 2 and taste)
1 large clove garlic, smashed with the side of your knife
4 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. roasted sesame oil
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 tsp. chili sauce (I like sambal..chunky style, but use whatever you have handy)
16 ounces cooked noodles
green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
a handful of cilantro
sliced cucumbers, if you so desire
8 ounces steak, 1" thick (or shrimp)
reserved boiling noodle water (about a cup)
lemon wedges for serving

1. Cook the steak. Bring the steaks to room temperature. Heat a pan (cast iron if you have it) on high. It's very important that you have a very hot pan for your meat. And a good, strong vent. Unless you want to smoke out your kitchen. I've done that...and I don't recommend it. Season the steak liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Coat the steak in olive oil and rub the salt in. Place the oiled steaks in the hot pan and cook for 3 mins on one side (don't move it!!!) and flip and cook 2 mins on the other (don't move it!!!). Let the steak rest.

2. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Splash in some veggie oil to help the non-sticky-ness. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Add the shoyu, sugar, vinegar, oil, sesame oil, garlic and chili sauce. Simmer on low.

4. Right before tossing with noodles, add the green onions to the sauce...to help take off that onion-y edge.

5. Toss sauce with noodles. You may need the dribble in the pasta water to thin it out. This is not a saucy noodle dish, so if you want more sauce, use less noodles.

6. Slice your well-rested steak.

7. Top noodles with steak, cilantro, bell pepper and any other veggies/herbs you'd like. Serve with lemon wedges.