Thai Noodle Salad

“We’re having a heatwave, a tropical heatwave……” wrote Irving Berlin.

Well, so is Melbourne, today experiencing our eighth day of temperatures ranging from 33C – 36C. (93F – 102F)

This cook gets bad tempered sweating over a hot stove so for dinner I often opt to serve meat roasted in our kettle BBQ with interesting salads. The house stays cool and so do I.

Charcoal roasted scotch pork fillet that had marinated in an intensely flavoured, heavily reduced master stock led me to resurrect a recently unearthed recipe for a salad of noodles dressed with the hot, sweet and salty flavours of Thailand. The large quantity of chopped herbs give freshness and fragrance, the chilli a healthy kick of heat but it is the melding of all elements that make this salad perfect for a hot night.

My recipe is a adapted from Marieke Brugman’s Thai Noodle Salad.

250g short soup vermicelli or spaghetti broken into short lengths ( I used GF)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon nam pla (fish sauce)

2 tablespoons kecap manis ( sweet soy)

1 ½ limes, juice only

1 large carrot

½ cup ground peanuts

1 red chilli, finely sliced

1 cup finely chopped herbs, a mixture of basil, mint and coriander

2 tablespoons snipped chives

Cook the pasta according to the manufacturers instructions. When done, tip it into a colander, then refresh the noodles under cold running water. Drain thoroughly then toss through the oil.

Cut the carrot into long fine julienne. I use a mandolin to cut fine slices and then use my trusty super sharp cook’s knife to cut the stacked slices into julienne.

Pick the herbs from their stems, wash thoroughly, dry well ( I use a salad spinner) then blitz in the food processor until finely chopped.

Finely slice the chilli and snip the chives.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl tossing thoroughly to combine. Clean hands are best for this Job!

Serves 6-8 as an accompaniment with other dishes.

 

 

 

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About ladyredspecs

Led a varied existence cooking, parenting, cooking, teaching, cooking, nursing, cooking , travelling, cooking, photographing, cooking, writing, cooking, loving, laughing and more cooking......... This blog was suggested by my eldest daughter as a means to share family recipes and their adaptations and modernizations.....and I am loving it!! What an excuse to cook, write and photograph.

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