Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad

Directions

Ingredients :

5 cloves garlic

1 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro

½ jalapeno pepper

seeded and minced

3 tablespoons white sugar

¼ cup fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons vegetarian fish sauce

1 (12 ounce) package dried rice noodles

2 carrots

julienned

1 cucumber

halved lengthwise and chopped

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

4 leaves napa cabbage

¼ cup unsalted peanuts

4 sprigs fresh mint

Methods :

Mince the garlic with the cilantro and the hot pepper. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the lime juice, fish sauce or salt and sugar; stir well. Let the sauce sit for 5 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rice noodles; boil them for 2 minutes. Drain well. Rinse the noodles with cold water until they have cooled. Let them drain again.

Combine the sauce, noodles, carrots, cucumber, mint and Napa cabbage in a large serving bowl. Toss well and serve the salad garnished with the peanuts and mint sprigs.