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Thai Style Rainbow Noodle Salad

This is a light, fresh noodle salad drizzled with sesame oil and then tossed with finely sliced, colourful, raw vegetables and a punchy Thai inspired dressing. You can also add chicken, pomelo segments (or a sweet grapefruit as a substitute) and a sprinkling of peanuts, if you fancy. This is my Noodle Nirvana.

Ingredients

Scale

For the noodles -

  • 150g (5oz) uncooked soba noodles
  • A drizzle of sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

For the vegetables (see NOTES below) -

  • 1 carrot (approx 130g (4-5oz)), finely chopped into very thin sticks
  • A handful of radish (approx 50g (2oz)), finely sliced
  • A handful of sugar snaps (approx 60g (2.5oz)), finely sliced, lengthways
  • 110g (4oz) red cabbage, finely shredded
  • 1 yellow pepper (approx 200g (7oz)), finely sliced
  • 125g (4-5oz) cucumber, finely sliced, lengthways
  • 2 spring onions, finely sliced, lengthways

For the dressing -

  • 1.5 tablespoons caster sugar
  • 3 tablespoons boiling water
  • a few dried chilli flakes, to taste
  • a little grated garlic, to taste
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce

For the add-ins -

  • 100g (4oz) cooked chicken, shredded (optional)
  • 150g (5oz) pomelo or sweet grapefruit, broken into small pieces (optional)

For the garnish -

  • A handful of salted peanuts
  • A handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
  • A fresh, red chile, finely sliced (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the noodles - Cook the noodles using the packet instructions. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water, to cool them down quickly. When they are cold add them to a large serving bowl and toss them with a little sesame oil and the sesame seeds.
  2. Add the prepared vegetables to the bowl.
  3. Make the dressing - Add the caster sugar and the boiling water to a small jug or a screw top jar and shake/stir until dissolved. Now add the remaining dressing ingredients and combine thoroughly.
  4. Add your add-ins to the bowl.
  5. Combine with the dressing - Add about two thirds of the dressing to the noodle salad and combine thoroughly. A pair of tongs work well here. Taste to check for flavour and seasoning.
  6. Garnish with coriander (definitely) and a little sliced red chile and peanuts if you fancy.

Notes

There is no need to be precise with the particular vegetables or the quantities of each. As a guide, my prepared vegetables filled a 1 litre (2 pint) measuring jug up to the very top.

Keywords: fresh, light, noodle, Thai, salad