Spicy, sour , fragrant, crunchy, simple and delicious. This salad packs a punch!
YOU NEED (for the salad)
2 x100 gram packs of vermicelli rice noodles
1 large red capsicum (also known as bell peppers), core removed, seeds out and very finely sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
a handful of spring onion (also known as scallions), washed, cut in 1/2, sliced into thin strips lengthwise
1 bunch of Vietnamese mint, washed and roughly chopped
a good handful of sweet basil, washed and gently torn
1 cup of crushed, salted and roasted peanuts
YOU NEED (for the dressing)
2 limes, juiced
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
1 small red chilli, halved and finely sliced (I have some that are REALLY hot at the moment and decided to live on the edge and not remove the seeds)
2 lemon grass stems, finely sliced. If you don’t have lemon grass stems, use a tablespoon of bought minced lemon grass. Do get fresh lemon grass if you can though, as it adds a nice crunch and is so fragrant).
1 tablespoon of coconut sugar (alternatively use soft brown sugar)
5 kaffir lime leaves, roughly chopped
YOU DO
Combine all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until they are well combined and set aside.
Prepare the noodles as per the packet instructions. If you are using hot water refresh them in cold water immediately and drain them. Grab handfuls of the noodles and roughly chop them with scissors. Shorter noodles make the salad easier to eat.
Combine the noodles with the rest of the ingredients (except for the nuts).
Add the dressing to the noodles mixture and stir well to combine.
Garnish with the crushed peanuts and serve.
Yields: Makes enough for 4. Or for 2 very hungry people
Time: 25 minutes
Notes: Just use normal mint if you can’t get Vietnamese. It’s not the same but you need mint because it gives the salad a cooling element.
