Cold Sesame Noodles

Ingredients (24)

• For the sauce:
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
• 3 medium garlic cloves (15g), thinly sliced 
• One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced 
• 2 pieces whole star anise
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) cold water
• 1 tablespoon (15g) sugar
• 2 teaspoons (10ml) rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons (8g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; if using table salt, use half as much by volume or same weight
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) soy sauce
• ¾ teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 tablespoon (9g) toasted sesame seeds
• For the noodles:
• Kosher salt
• 1 ¼ cups (6 ⅛ ounces; 175g) pastry or cake flour such as Bob’s Red Mill (see note)
• ¾ cup (5 ounces; 145g) potato starch (see note)
• ¾ cup (180ml) boiling water
• Vegetable oil, for greasing
• To serve:
• 6 ounces (170g) celery (about 2 large ribs), cut cross-wise on a slight bias into 1/8-inch thick strips
• 4 ounces (115g) English cucumber (about ½ of an English cucumber), cut into matchsticks
• ½ ounce (15g) fresh cilantro sprigs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths