Chasing the Nuoc Mam Dragon: Fresh and Crunchy Noodle Salad

To me, this is the perfect sunny spring day dinner. It's healthy, crunchy, and loaded with fish sauce and herbs. The following is barely a recipe but bear with me and you will find yourself parked in front of a huge and satisfying bowl of hot sour salty sweet (and crunchy herby!) goodness.

Generally you will need:

A nice big handful of dried rice noodles (rice stick), depending how noodley you want your salad
Nuoc Mam (fish sauce)
2 Limes
Garlic and Ginger, finely grated or chopped
Rice Vinegar
Sesame Oil
Half teaspoon of sugar (white sugar is fine, and so is a little crumble of palm sugar)
Fresh chilies (I use fiery hot Thai Bird’s Eye Chilies, but Jalapeño could work here too)
A mixture of fresh, crunchy vegetables such as julienne carrots, peppers or daikon, half moons of seeded cucumbers, sprouts, shredded or torn lettuce, cabbage, etc.
Green onion
A bunch of chopped herbs, any or all of fresh cilantro, mint or Thai basil works beautifully

Cook noodles according to package directions until they are el dente. It is nice if they are a little chewy, a lovely texture with the slippery dressing and crunchy vegetables. Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water. I hope you don’t rinse wheat pasta, but please do with rice noodles. Set aside.

While the rice noodles are cooking and cooling combine the dressing: juice the limes and stir in a little garlic and ginger and two or three tablespoons each of fish sauce and rice vinegar, the sugar, a tablespoon or two of sesame oil, one or two chopped fresh chillies and two tablespoons of water. Taste and check for a balance of hot, sour, salty and sweet flavors. Add lime if not sour enough, and fish sauce if you are looking for a little more salt or umami flavor. I believe the sugar and chillies are self-explanatory, but Sambal Oelek is a great addition for more lovely heat.

Wash, de-seed, chop, shed, julienne and tear up your vegetable and herbs in whatever combination appeals. Toss the veggies with noodles and enough dressing to coat and generously fill your bowl. Incredible!

If you are certain to have leftovers don’t mix all the veggies, noodles and dressing together. Store separately then combine right before digging in with embarrassing gusto.

Serves two hungry people, possible with leftovers if you can restrain yourself.