Spring Rice Noodle Salad
at-a-glance
Serves 3-4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes plus
Course
Dinner
Additional Attributes
Mom Appetit recipe
Starting with this recipe as my inspiration (important when you’re totally stuffed and more in the mood to lie on the couch than wash cilantro), I blanched snow peas. I julienned peppers, cucumbers and carrots. I soaked rice noodles. Sliced shallots. Whisked up a dressing of lime juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce and some sugar. Fried firm tofu into crisp, golden sticks. Find out more about this recipe on Mom Appetit's blog.
1 handful snow peas
4 ounces thin rice noodles
Vegetable oil
1 package firm tofu, patted dry and cut into1/2-inch-by-1-inch-by-2-inch slabs
Salt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 lime)
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 handful or so of each of the following: halved grape tomatoes, julienned cucumbers, carrots, and bell pepper, sliced romaine lettuce hearts, torn fresh mint and cilantro
1 shallot, slivered
2 tablespoons chopped, roasted, salted peanuts or cashews
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the snow peas. Blanch for 1 minute, then use a slotted spoon to transfer to a strainer. Cool the snow peas under running water then slice them diagonally.
2. Meanwhile, stir the noodles into the boiling water. Cover the pot, turn off the heat, and let the noodles soak for 10 minutes. Drain, cool under running water, then drain very well.
3. In a large, nonstick pan, heat ¼ inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and fry until crisp and golden on both sides, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and pat away as much oil as possible, then sprinkle generously with salt.
4. Whisk together the lime juice, vinegar, fish sauce and sugar.
5. At this point, the veggies, dressing, tofu and noodles can all be refrigerated overnight if desired. To serve, toss everything together and top with the nuts. Serve right away with fish sauce and sriracha.
Find out more about this recipe on Mom Appetit's blog.
