One of our most epic salads, this dish tastes like a takeaway but has all the goodness of a salad. Bangin’ veg with an incredible Asian dressing, you’ll want to make it again and again. Try the dressing with roasted veggies or any Asian- or Thai-flavoured meal. Switch out the rice noodles with soba noodles for a higher protein meal or add some griddled tofu.
SERVES 3–4
100g dried rice vermicelli
4 tbsp sesame oil
¼ cucumber
1 carrot
1 red pepper
1 head pak choi
3 spring onions
3 tbsp peanuts
1 fresh red chilli
10g fresh coriander
7.5cm piece fresh ginger
2 limes
1½ tsp chilli flakes
4 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tsp maple syrup
4 tbsp water
4 portobello mushrooms
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Kettle boiled | Peeler | Saucepan | Food processor | Wok
Prep the vermicelli | Pour the boiling water into a large mixing bowl | Submerge the vermicelli in the hot water and leave them to soak for 5 minutes (or follow the instructions on the packet) | Drain the noodles through a sieve and run them under cold water until cool | Tip them back into the bowl | Pour over 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil, toss to coat and set to one side
Now make the salad | Peel the cucumber into ribbons using a vegetable peeler, discarding the watery middle | Trim and peel the carrot, then peel it into ribbons | Cut the pepper in half, cut out the stem and seeds and slice into long, thin strips | Cut out the thick stem off the pak choi and shred the leaves thinly | Trim the spring onions, cut them in half and then thinly slice them lengthways | Roughly chop or crush the peanuts | Rip off the stem from the chilli and cut it into thin slices | Pick the coriander leaves and discard the stems
Add the vegetables and herbs you’ve just prepared to the bowl with the noodles | Toss everything together to combine | Divide between bowls and set to one side
Quickly make the dressing | Peel the ginger by scraping off the skin with a spoon and roughly chop | Zest one of the limes | Cut both limes in half and squeeze the juice into the food processor | Add the lime zest, peeled ginger, 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil, the chilli flakes, peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup and water | Blitz to make a sauce
Cut the portobello mushrooms into thin strips | Put the wok over a high heat and add the vegetable oil and remaining sesame oil | When the pan is hot, add the mushrooms and fry for 5–6 minutes, until they shrink in size and darken in colour
Divide the cooked mushrooms among the bowls | Drizzle over the spicy peanut dressing | Sprinkle over the broken peanuts and sliced red chilli and serve immediately