Cooking time: 15 min

Serving: 2

Ingredients:

●     4 oz (120 g) rice vermicelli noodles (*Footnote 1)

●     2 teaspoons sesame oil, toasted

Veggies

●     1/4 head small red cabbage, shredded

●     2 cups spinach, stems removed and chopped coarsely (or other salad greens)

●     1 carrot, shredded

Dressing/Marinade

●     1/4 cup soy sauce (tamari for gluten-free)

●     1/4 cup rice vinegar

●     3 tablespoons chili garlic sauce (or your favorite chili paste/sauce)

●     2 tablespoons brown sugar

●     4 cloves garlic, grated

●     1 tablespoon ginger, grated

(Optional) Protein

●     1/2 lb (225 g) protein of your choice (chicken, shrimp, tofu, & steak)

(Optional) Garnish

●     1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped (or microgreens)

●     1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced

●     1/4 cup roasted peanuts, crushed

Instructions:

1. Combine the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and stir well.

(Optional) Prepare the protein

2. Place the protein of your choice on a deep plate. Pour 1/3 cup of the dressing over it. If using tofu, cube or slice the tofu to the desired shape before marinating it. Marinate at room temperature for an hour or in the fridge for up to overnight. If using shrimp (or any seafood), marinate it in the fridge for 30 minutes to up to 2 hours.
3. Once done marinating, remove the protein and discard the marinade. Lightly pat the protein dry with paper towels and remove the aromatics (to prevent them from burning and help with browning). Pan fry the protein until both sides are golden brown and the inside is cooked through.

Prepare noodles & veggies

4. Cut all the veggies and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Pat the veggies dry with paper towels if they are wet.
5. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain the noodles and rinse them with cold water to cool, then drain them completely. Add the sesame noodles and toss them to prevent clumping.

Assemble

6. Add the chilled noodles to a bowl with the veggies. Toss until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
7. Pour the remaining dressing over the salad and toss. If you are not making a protein, add half the dressing, toss, and taste. Add more according to your taste.
8. If serving with a protein, add the cooked protein into the salad and toss again. Or you can simply serve the protein on top of the salad.
9. The salad can be served immediately or chilled overnight in the fridge. The noodles will absorb the dressing overnight and become even more flavorful.

Posted by Coba Grills, and we thank Omnivore's Cookbook for this delicious recipe and the recipe link https://omnivorescookbook.com/spicy-rice-noodle-salad