Recipe video above. A vegetable noodle salad with a dressing that's creamy, peanutty, with a hint of sesame, tang of lime and mild hit of chilli. GREAT work lunch idea - keeps for days, terrific served cold. Try adding shredded chicken! Also great side for Asian meals. Serves 3 as a meal, or 4 to 5 as a side.
1.5cupscarrot, julienned (1 large or 2 small carrots)
2cupsbeansprouts
1.5cupsgreen beans, halved
1.5cupsred bell pepper/capsicum, finely sliced (1 large)
3green onion stems, finely sliced on the diagonal
1tbspwhite sesame seeds(preferably toasted)
Instructions
Prepare noodles according to packet directions (most just require soaking in hot water). Drain, rinse and set aside to cool.
Dressing - Mix together Dressing ingredients, using water only if needed to loosen so it can be tossed through salad. If you reduce Sriracha, might need to add smidge more lime.
Beans - Steam or boil green greens until just cooked, tender but still crisp. Drain under running water to cool.
Toss - Place salad ingredients in a big bowl, toss with dressing.
Garnish with sesame seeds then serve at room temp. Keeps 4 days in the fridge.
Notes
1. Peanut Butter - commercial spread is what I use in this recipe ie sweetened. If you use natural peanut butter (ie pure peanuts, not added sugar etc), you'll need to add about 2 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp salt into the dressing.2. Toasted Sesame Oil is dark brown and has a more intense sesame flavour, Untoasted is yellow (not common in Australia).3. Soy Sauce - all purpose or light soy. Don't use dark soy or kecap manis, flavour is too intense.4. Noodles - I use thin hokkien noodles because I like the slippery, slightly chewy texture in this noodle salad, the type that is sold in the fridge section that just requires soaking in hot water. But any noodles work fine here - rice, egg, fresh, dried, even ramen (use 3 cakes, toss seasoning). Just prepare per packet.5. Other Vegetable options - anything that won't go watery limp once dressed:
Shredded Cabbage (white, green, red)
Zucchini batons (yes, raw, it's great!)
Snow peas, thinly sliced raw broccoli, red onion, corn