Taiwanese Cold Noodles
I had a productive fitness day today! First, I broke my personal record for a 1-mile run. Second, after completing six weeks of the strength challenge, I took post-measurements and discovered that I gained 2.2 kg of skeletal muscle mass and lost 3.1% of my body fat. These small victories are definitely worth celebrating. As a foodie, I rewarded myself by making a healthy cold noodle dish to mark my fitness milestone!
Yesterday, I made a Korean version of cold noodles that completely amazed me. Today, I plan to make a nostalgic version that reminds me of our trip to Taiwan a few years ago. This memory is particularly special because that small bowl of cold noodles from a street vendor near our hotel was our first meal in Taiwan, and it won our hearts. We enjoyed it so much that we went back for more over the next two days of our stay.
While my homemade version won't be exactly the same, I will do my best to replicate the taste as closely as possible.
Prep Noodles + Cucumber
Ingredients
- Shanghainese thin noodles (阳春面) — available at pretty much any Chinese grocery store
- fresh cucumber
Instructions
- 1.Boil the noodles. If you're using thin noodles, they only take 2–3 minutes.
- 2.Once cooked, rinse them under cold water. Save a little of the hot noodle water for the sauce.
- 3.Cut some fresh cucumber into thin slivers. I did a lousy job here, but you get the gist.
The Sesame-Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- a scoop of peanut butter
- a scoop of Chinese sesame paste
- a dash of sweet soy sauce (or light soy sauce + a little sugar)
- a tiny dash of Chinese vinegar
- crushed garlic
- salt and white pepper, to taste
- crushed Sichuan peppercorn powder
Instructions
- 1.Use a little hot noodle water to thin out the peanut butter and sesame paste. Mix until smooth and loose.
- 2.Only once it's smooth, add the sweet soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, salt, white pepper, and Sichuan peppercorn powder.
- 3.Taste and adjust. It should be pourable, not stiff.
Notes
This is the part that decides the whole bowl. Thin the two pastes first, on their own, before anything else joins the party.
Straight out of the jar, both pastes are stiff enough to hold the spoon upright.
A few spoons of hot noodle water later. You want it loose enough to ribbon off the fork — the soy sauce, vinegar, and other sauce ingredients can now join the party.
Optional: Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- ⅓ chicken breast
- cooking wine, ginger, and green onion for the poaching water
Instructions
- 1.Boil the chicken breast with cooking wine, ginger, and green onion.
- 2.Let it cool, then shred it into tiny pieces.
Notes
Completely optional. I added one-third of shredded chicken breast because I'm trying to build more muscle!
Assemble and Eat
Ingredients
- roasted sesame seeds
- freshly chopped green onion
- hot chili
Instructions
- 1.Pile the cold noodles into a bowl and spoon the sauce over them.
- 2.Add the cucumber slivers, the chicken if you're using it, then the sesame seeds, green onion, and hot chili.
- 3.Mix everything together and enjoy.
Notes
Mix it properly — every strand should be coated before the first bite. I was debating whether I should post a video on how to mix it properly. It's really because I don't trust you. So here we are.
Honest Verdict
“Absolutely delicious! I believe my version is quite similar to the authentic Taiwanese recipe. The traditional version uses alkaline noodles, which have a firmer, more al dente texture.”
Personal note
An Afterthought
While I was walking home, I found myself planning this recipe in my head. It also occurred to me just how far I've come since the beginning of my fitness journey.
Growing up, I was never physically fit. In China, body shaming overshadowed much of my youth. I was born a chubby girl, and after I got sick in third grade, six months of steroid injections put me in the obese category. People—family members, schoolmates, and even strangers—often ridiculed my appearance.
I was always on the verge of failing physical education. I struggled with every test, not because I didn't try, but because my classmates' smirks and laughter crushed my confidence and self-esteem. The hardest moments were when my own parents compared me to my skinny friends, praising them as flexible little monkeys while calling me slow and clumsy. Those memories became a significant part of my identity for many years.
Once I started working, I began taking my physical health more seriously by participating in group fitness classes. However, juggling work and fitness was difficult, and I still struggled to stay strong and consistent.
It wasn't until I quit my job a few years ago that I truly committed to making exercise part of my life. Like eating three meals a day, it became non-negotiable. I call it my self-care routine. I no longer dread going to workout classes; instead, I often look forward to them because I know that, by showing up and sticking with it, I am taking care of myself.
Orangetheory became a big part of that routine. I started attending classes regularly, where I met excellent coaches who encouraged me to run a little faster and lift a little heavier. I also began participating in benchmark challenges, which helped me track my progress and motivated me to give my past self a little kick in the ass.
Ironically, I feel like I reached my physical peak not in childhood, my 20s, or even my 30s, but in my 40s. Yes, this chick peaked in her 40s!! Apparently, my body enjoys a dramatic late entrance. Now I'm driven to keep surpassing my personal records.
Most importantly, I'm happy with who I am today. Yes, I could lose a little more fat, but I've come a long way. I'm doing this in a healthy way, and I still want to balance nutritious eating with exercise because, after all, I am a happy foodie.
Delicious food and a healthy workout routine can absolutely go hand in hand. Sometimes that hand is holding a dumbbell, and sometimes it's holding a bowl of Taiwanese cold noodles.
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