Rice Noodles – It’s all about the Sauce

Now that you’ve learned to make Roast Chicken Cucumber Mint Noodle Bowl from Simply Vietnamese Cooking by Nancie McDermott, you must be wondering what else you can possibly serve with her wonderful Vietnamese Dipping Sauce. Wonder no more. Toss together the ingredients below and ring the dinner bell.

Rice Noodles

• 12 oz brown or white rice noodles, cooked
• 3 T each soy sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, Asian Peanut Sauce (recipe below)
• 5 T sesame oil
• 1 c chopped cilantro
• 2 handfuls of bean sprouts (optional)
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 c dry-roasted peanuts
• 2 t Sriracha

Combine all ingredients and serve with extra Asian Peanut Sauce, Dipping Sauce, Umami Salmon and Cucumber Salad. Pairs perfectly with Keller, Riesling Trocken 2014.

Asian Peanut Sauce

• 1 c each crunchy peanut butter, water
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 T each grated ginger, soy sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, palm or coconut or dark brown sugar
• 1 t hot pepper flakes
• 1 star anise

In a small pot, heat and whisk the ingredients, then let cool. Cover and refrigerate.

Dipping Sauce

• 2 T chopped garlic
• 4 T each sugar, fresh lime juice
• 1 t chili-garlic sauce, finely chopped, fresh hot red chilies or 2 teaspoons hot pepper flakes
• 6 T each fish sauce, water

Use a mortar and pestle to grind garlic, sugar and chili into a paste, or combine them on a cutting board using a fork to mash and a spoon to press or a knife to finely chop and mix.

In a small bowl, combine garlic-sugar-chili paste with fish sauce, water and lime juice. Stir to dissolve sugar. Cover and refrigerate for up to a week.

Rice Noodles Print Ready Recipe

Final notes:

• Looking for the best Vietnamese restaurants in Paris, Ho Chi Minh City, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal or Calgary?
• Use your noodle. Read about the real Chinese diet.
• Have you watched any Vietnamese films lately?