k Vietnamese Rainbow Noodles with nuoc cham dipping sauce k
Ingredients (serves 16)
600g rice noodles
4 carrots in julinenne strips
2 red pepper in julinenne strips
2 yellow pepper in julinenne strips
1/2 red cabbage in julinenne strips
8 spring onions in julinenne strips
12 radishes thinly sliced
bunch coriander chopped
2 tablespoon nigella seeds (or bleack sesame seeds)
2 tablespoon sesame oil
4 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
For the dressing
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 red bird’s eye chillies, halved, deseeded and chopped
4 tablespoon caster sugar
4 limes, juice
12 tablespoon fish sauce (if vegan use soy sauce)
Method
To make the Nuoc Cham, put the garlic and chillies in a mortar and pestle with the salt and grind until you almost have a paste. (It doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth.) Add everything else and mix. Taste and adjust the balance of hot, sour, salty, and sweet to taste. It’s very powerful, so dilute with a little water if you like, but remember it’s going to be eaten with something starchy.
Prepare rice noodles plunging into freshly boiled water for 2 minutes and then refreshing under a cold tap. Set aside.
Assemble the salad directly before serving. Place cold noodles in a large bowl all the vegetables through the noodles – drizzle with the dressing and mix thoroughly again. Serve straight away with the satay tofu.