Thai Noodle Salad with a Spicy, Creamy Peanut Dressing

Yum!   This Thai Noodle Salad is vegan and (if you use rice noodles as I have here) gluten free.  But that’s just a bonus because what really matters is it’s crispy, crunchy, sweet, sour and with a bit of a kick so you feel just so happy and healthy after eating it that Its a real boost   Best of all its simple and quick and the longest part time wise is slicing the vegetables

There now follows a shameless plug for my Goddaughter’s website, so skip this paragraph if you aren’t interested.  Regular readers of this blog will know about Chloe, who is vegan and just happens to be a vet. Or should that be the other way around?    In December last year, she decided she was going to learn more about yoga and took herself off to Bali to do a full time course learning how to be a yoga instructor.  Now the two main passions in her life have combined in a brand new website called vetyogi.com.  The site is aimed at veterinary professionals and so gives the science behind how various yoga postures and stress combating techniques can help.   I think it’s a great site for those of us who aren’t in the veterinary business as well though – i always like knowing why and how techniques help as it makes more sense to me and I am more likely to do it as a result!

Back to the cooking/eating part!  I’ve had lots of requests for quick and easy recipes for a packed lunch or a quick supper and this is my go-to recipe.

Lunch at your desk

I’ve layered the noodle salad into a lunch box (a clip top jar works well too it’s just heavier to carry) so that you can mix it all together at your desk or simply dig down to get at the noodles in their dressing.

You can use whatever type of noodles you like with this (soba, egg, rice) – just cook them according to the instructions on packet and run under cold water to cool   TIP – If you are going to assemble the salad later keep cooked noodles in a bowl of cold water till you are ready to stop them sticking together

Again there is flexibility as to what vegetables you use   I have chosen peeled cucumber rather than the more traditional courgette (Chloe hates courgette) and mango rather than papaya.  Leave out what you don’t like and add anything you do.

This makes two portions   It will easily keep for two days in the fridge if layered like this and remain crisp and crunchy

Rice noodles

Creamy Peanut Sauce

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 200g rice noodles
• 1/4 cucumber, deseeded, cut into batons
• 2 carrots, cut into batons
• 1/4 red pepper, cut into batons
• 1/4 yellow pepper, cut into batons
• 1/4 ripe mango, cut into batons
• 1 spring onion, finely diced
• handful of watercress or spinach

for the peanut dressing

• 1/2 red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 lime
• 2 tsp black sesame seeds
• 1/2 tbsp finely grated ginger (see below)
• 3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (or Tamari if going gluten free)
• 10 basil leaves (optional)

to garnish

• mint leaves
• basil leaves
• 1/2 lime, divided into quarters
• black sesame seeds

Method

1. Prepare the noodles according to the instructions on packet   Leave in cold water whilst preparing the peanut sauce and vegetables
2. Mix together all the ingredients for peanut sauce.  Don’t panic that water will make sauce too watery. Keep stirring it will come together To a thick coating sauce I promise!
3. Drain noodles and combine with sauce
4. Divide noodles between two bowls/lunch boxes
5. Arrange the vegetables on top
6. Place herbs, lime wedge, and extra sesame seeds on top.  
7. Put on lid and keep in fridge.  
8. Mix together to eat squeezing over extra lime juice to taste. 

Layer one – Noodles with peanut dressing and sesame seeds

Layer two – add vegetables and sesame seeds

Layer three – add herbs and lime

I keep my root ginger in the freezer and finely grate it, skin and all, from frozen.  I then return the still frozen unused part to the freezer when I’m done ready for the next time   This avoids wasteage as I don’t manage to use ginger root frequently enough  before it deteriorates in the fridge   I often keep chillies in the freezer too!