Thai Noodle Salad

Number of Servings: 4

Salad Ingredients:

10 ounces (300 g) fresh prawns, peeled, deveined, tails left on
Fresh lime juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces (120 grams) Thai Rice Stick noodles

1 cup (250 mL) of shredded carrots (about 2 carrots)
½ cup (125 mL) thinly sliced celery
1/3 cup (85 mL) chopped green onions
½ of an English cucumber, unpeeled, halved horizontally, seeded, and thinly sliced

1 cup (250 mL) fresh bean sprouts
1/3 cup (85 mL) fresh chopped cilantro

Lime & Red Thai Chili Vinaigrette:

Juice from 2 fresh limes (about 2 tablespoons)
Zest from 1 lime (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon (15 mL) granulated sugar
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 red Thai chili pepper, minced (include as many seeds as you can handle!)
1 tablespoon (15 mL) fish sauce
2 tablespoons (30 mL) roasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons (45 mL) vegetable or grapeseed oil
Sea salt; freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Prepare and cook prawns:   Heat a little olive oil in a sauté pan. Add prawns and sauté on both sides – 2 or 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan to cool. Drizzle with a little lime juice, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2. Prepare Thai Rice noodles:   Soak noodles in cold water for 8-10 minutes.  Drain.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add a tablespoon or two of salt; cook noodles for 1-2 minutes  (or as package directs); drain, and give them a quick rinse in cold water. Put noodles in a large salad bowl; Drizzle with a little sesame oil to keep the noodles from sticking.
3. Prepare vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine lime juice, zest, sugar, garlic, chili pepper, and fish sauce. Whisk in both oils. Season to taste.
4. Add the shredded carrots, celery, green onions, and cucumber to the cooled noodles. Gently mix to combine. Stir in cooled prawns.
5. Pour vinaigrette over salad and mix together. Just before serving, fold in bean sprouts and cilantro.

Questions and Comments are always welcome     alex@chilipeppersandpears.com ^[1]