Cucumber And Noodle Salad

• 10 ounce dried Chinese-style noodles (lo mein or chow mein)* or spaghetti
• 3 or 4 Persian cucumbers (about 5 in. long) or 10 oz. English or Armenian cucumbers
• 6 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 4 1/2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons old-fashioned peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon dark molasses
• 1 1/2 cups (7 oz.) thinly sliced lop chong* (Chinese sausage) or 3/4 cup chopped bacon
• 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh basil leaves
• 3 cups loosely packed salad greens
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted salted peanuts

1. Cook noodles according to package instructions until just tender (or longer, if you prefer a softer texture that absorbs sauce more easily). Drain, rinse well with cool water, and set aside. Cut cucumbers into 1/2- by 1 1/2-in. pieces. Set aside.
2. Whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, oil, peanut butter, and molasses in a large bowl; set aside.
3. Lightly brown sausage in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
4. Add drained noodles to peanut butter sauce, tossing to coat, then add sausages, cilantro, basil, and about two-thirds of cucumbers. Line 4 wide, shallow bowls with salad greens and add pasta. Top with remaining cucumbers and sprinkle with peanuts.
5. *Find at well-stocked grocery stores, Asian markets, and amazon.com.

noodles, cucumbers, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, oldfashioned peanut butter, dark molasses, chong, cilantro, fresh basil, salad greens, peanuts

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cucumber-noodle-salad (may not work)