Categories: Pasta, Vegetarian 
      Yield: 3 servings 
  
    1/4 lb Snow peas; trimmed                  2 tb Tamari soy sauce 
    1/2 lb Whole wheat udon                  1/4 ts Ground Szechuan peppercorns 
           -OR WW/brown rice udon                   -(Or more, to taste) -=OR=- 
      1 tb Toasted Sesame oil                1/8 ts Freshly ground black pepper 
           -(Oriental type)                    2 ts Brown rice vinegar 
      3 tb Sesame tahini                     1/2 ts Maple syrup 
      1 lg Garlic clove; roasted,            1/4 c  -Pasta cooking water, approx 
           - peeled   -=OR=-                   1 pn Cayenne pepper; -=OR=- 
      1 sm -Raw garlic clove,                  3 dr -Hot pepper sesame oil 
           - peeled and minced                      -(To taste) 
 
---------------------------------GARNISHES--------------------------------- 
      1 lg Cucumber; peeled, seeded,                - thinly sliced 
           - and diced                              Sesame seasoning salt 
      1    Scallion; (green part only)              -(gomasio) 
  
  Bring about 6 cups of water to the boil.  Blanch the snow peas in the water 
  for 1 minute.  Remove them with a slotted spoon, place in a strainer, and 
  refresh immediately under cold running water. Cut into thirds and set 
  aside. 
   
  In the same boiling water used for the snow peas, cook the pasta until 
  tender but still chewy.  Drain well and reserve about 1/2 cup of the 
  cooking water. 
   
  In a serving bowl, immediately toss the hot pasta in the sesame oil to 
  prevent it from clumping together. 
   
  In a blender or food processor, combine the remaining ingredients, starting 
  with 1-1/2 tablespoons tamari and 1/4 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns, with 
  just enough of the pasta cooking liquid to create a medium-thick sauce (the 
  consistency should be like pancake batter). 
   
  Toss the sauce and reserved snow peas with the pasta.  Taste and add more 
  tamari and pepper if desired. 
   
  Garnish with the cucumber and scallion, and sprinkle with sesame seasoning 
  salt before serving.  Serve warm or at room temperature. 
   
  Source: Recipes from an Ecological Kitchen - by Lorna J. Sass ISBN: 
  0-688-10051-1 Typed for you by Karen Mintzias