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Rice Noodle, Cucumber and Herb Salad

Rice Noodle, Cucumber and Herb Salad

By Courtney HillSeptember 23, 2021

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    30 minutes
  • Rating

This refreshing noodle salad is our take on a dish that we tasted in Cambodia combined with a recipe from “The Elephant Walk Cookbook” by Longteine de Monteiro and Katherine Neustadt. Thin rice noodles are tossed with cucumber, peanuts and tons of fresh herbs, then dressed in a punchy salty-sweet fish sauce-based dressing. Dried shrimp, soaked in hot water to soften, then chopped, adds unique, umami-rich flavor and texture to the salad, but it’s an optional ingredient (the dish is delicious even without it). Rice vermicelli are thin, wiry noodles; they’re sometimes labeled as maifun or thin rice sticks; don’t confuse them with wide, flat rice sticks used in pad thai or pho. We think the salad is a perfect companion to rich, fatty roasted pork or nicely charred grilled pork skewers.

Tip

Don’t serve the salad immediately after tossing the noodles and cucumbers with the dressing. A 15-minute rest allows the noodles to absorb the flavors and the cucumbers to soften slightly.

Ingredients
  • 4

    ounces rice vermicelli (see headnote)

  • ⅓

    cup fish sauce

  • ¼

    cup white sugar

  • 3

    tablespoons lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve

  • 1

    medium shallot, halved and thinly sliced

  • 2

    medium garlic cloves, finely grated

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1

    medium English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into 2-inch matchsticks

  • 2

    tablespoons dried shrimp, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, drained and finely chopped (optional)

  • 2

    Fresno OR jalapeño chilies, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced

  • ¼

    cup salted, roasted peanuts, chopped

  • 1

    cup lightly packed fresh basil OR mint OR a combination, torn if large

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the vermicelli, stir to combine and turn off the heat. Let stand until the noodles are fully tender, about 3 minutes.

Drain in a colander, rinse under running cold running water until completely cooled, then drain again. Transfer to a medium bowl.

If the noodles are very long, use kitchen shears to snip them into more manageable lengths.

Step 2

In a small saucepan, combine the fish sauce and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice, shallot, garlic and ½ teaspoon pepper. Pour the mixture over the noodles, then add the cucumbers.

Toss to combine, then let stand, tossing occasionally, for about 15 minutes.

Step 3

Add the dried shrimp (if using), chilies and peanuts; toss to combine.

Taste and season with salt and pepper. Toss in the herbs then transfer to a serving dish.

Serve with lime wedges.