Quasi Asian Spaghetti

When I get a craving for teriyaki, I often go in search of skewered meats. These happen to be turkey. I've been trying more whole wheat pasta lately, mainly for variety, but whole wheat pasta and traditional Italian sauces just don’t taste that great (in my humble opinion). I think I may have found an acceptable substitute, the recipe is from my friend Jan in Seattle. I would have loved to try her recipe with soba noodles but I have not found them in Torino yet.

Quasi Asian Whole Wheat Spaghetti

½ a package of whole wheat spaghetti

Dressing:
5 T. sesame oil
5 T. soy sauce
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2-3 T. sugar to taste
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
½ t. ginger, very finely minced
1 T. black and/or white sesame seeds
2-3 stalks of scallions, sliced very thinly
A few drops of chili oil

1. Combine all the dressing ingredients together.
2. Cook pasta until al dente and add to dressing, toss, can be served right away but is also great cold.

For the skewers:

I cheat and buy them pre-made from the grocery store. Pork, beef, chicken and turkey will all work. Grill them in a grill pan or broil them in the oven, just 2-4 minutes per side until just done.

For the sauce:

Combine the following in a small sauce pan, ¼ C. soy sauce, honey or sugar to taste, 1 pressed garlic clove, a bit of minced or powdered ginger, chili flakes, a splash of orange juice and cook on low until you have a thick syrup. Taste it occasionally and adjust the seasonings accordingly. When a thick syrup is achieved, drizzle it over the skewers. Garnish with sliced scallions.