Every country does their noodles a little differently and right now I couldn’t be more in love with Vietnamese flavors. Bright, tart, sweet and hot, they dress their noodles quickly and it’s terribly refreshing. I used Thai Kitchen’s new line of rice noodles for the base of this salad, they’re individually packaged and made from whole grains, so they’ve already got a place on my shelf and in my heart. Grill some shrimp, toss in some veggies and this meal is in the books. Get noodley gurls.
Sauce:
- ¼ cup Mirin (Japanese rice wine)
- 3 tablespons Lime Juice (one large lime)
- ~30 grams Palm Sugar (or 1 tablespoon cane sugar)
- 1 tablespoon Thai Kitchen Roasted Chili Paste
- ~3 tablespoons sliced mint leaves
Whisk everything together and set it aside while you work on the noodles. The palm sugar may take some time to dissolve, don’t fret, it will melt soon enough.
Noodles:
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, turn off the heat and put in as many servings of noodles as you’ll need. Let the noodles soak in the hot bath for 5-7 minutes, or until they’re tender and chewy. Immediately drain them from the hot water and set them aside while you grill the shrimp.
Shrimp:
- ½ pound shrimp, any way you like them
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Heat your grill to medium. Toss the shrimp in the oil, salt and pepper. Place the shrimp on your grill and cook them for 2-3 minutes on the first side, until they’re just pink and have some grill marks. Flip the shrimp over and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, then remove them from the heat and get ready for dinner!
Toss the noodles with the sauce, add some bean sprouts, shredded carrots, or any other vegetables and then top each serving with some grilled shrimp. Dinner is served.