I taught a class on Zoom recently and the subject was summer salads. Dishes you can make when it’s cool and serve later; all room temperature and make ahead recipes. This gluten free salad took the prize for being delicious, beautiful and versatile. You can add grilled shrimp, chicken or pork if you like or simply serve as is. It can be served the following day as well. Any type of rice noodles works well, I used pad thai noodles, about 1/4 inch wide.
Serves 4
Ingredients
6 to 8 oz. rice noodles of your choice
1 small red or yellow pepper, julienne
2 small shallots, halved, julienne
2 small or one large carrot, peeled, julienne and blanched
2 Tb. flavourless oil such as avocado, grape seed, safflower
1 Tb. toasted sesame oil
Sauce (Nuoc cham)
5 Tb. sugar
2 Tb. hot water
1/3 cup fish sauce or Tamari
Juice of 3 limes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Thai chili, seeded, minced
1/3 cup roasted peanuts or cashews, chopped, optional
handful cilantro leaves, garnish
Procedure
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles until done about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and rinse well, transfer to a bowl. Add the vegetables and oil and toss.
- Combine the sauce in a medium bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add to the noodles with the peanuts if using. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the cilantro and serve.
