spring roll salad
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I love the taste of Vietnamese spring rolls, but am all thumbs when it comes to rolling them up nicely.
This recipe came out originally in the San Jose Mercury News, and it the mastermind of the two moms who run www.alittleyum.com. It's a nice variation to Nakayoshi Gakko Somen salad when you want a little more spice, or are in the mood for a more Vietanamese/Thai pasta salad. We, of course made a few edits to the original, most notably, swapping shrimp for chicken. One kid would also prefer it with the original grilled shrimp as the preferred animal add-in. However, the crustacean-allergic cook controls the animal allocation. |
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Chicken thighs (1-2)
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped Hawaiian salt and pepper, to taste Lettuce, shredded or torn, depending on how industrious you are feeling 1 cucumber, thinly sliced, preferably with a mandoline 1 bag of shredded carrots, or 2 carrots, shredded with the kampyo grater Tomatoes (optional, but recommended) A handful of fresh chopped cilantro A handful of fresh chopped mint leaves Crushed peanuts 1 Jalapeno or serrano chile, seeded and very thinly sliced 1 package rice noodles or 2-3 bunches of somen |
Dressing
2T lemon juice (see note below) 2T shoyu 2T honey 2T water 1 chili, seeded and minced very, very well Canola or vegetable oil, just to hold the dressing together |
Mix all the dressing ingredients together and let them sit while you cook. This will give the chili a chance to kick in.
Cook either the somen or rice noodles according to the directions. Drain, rinse and let it cool down. Ideally, you want the noodles to be refrigerator-cold.
Sprinkle chicken with garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Grill chicken until just done. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and then sliced into strips.
Layer the rice noodles or somen at the bottom of a big salad bowl or a 9 x 13 pyrex. Drizzle a little dressing over this to break it up a little bit. Toss in all vegetables and top with chicken strips. Garnish with sliced jalapenos and crushed peanuts to taste. Add dressing to your taste.
NOTES:
1) Grilled shrimp, seasoned the same way, was the original animal protein.
2) The fabulous dinner pinch-hitter Costco chicken will also work. Just shred a bit of chicken, minus the skin.
3) Hold up well as a day-after salad as long as you keep the peanuts out.
4) Recommend using juice of a whole lemon, and then keeping the proportions as they are in the recipe. (equal parts). However, do not add more than one chili.
Cook either the somen or rice noodles according to the directions. Drain, rinse and let it cool down. Ideally, you want the noodles to be refrigerator-cold.
Sprinkle chicken with garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Grill chicken until just done. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and then sliced into strips.
Layer the rice noodles or somen at the bottom of a big salad bowl or a 9 x 13 pyrex. Drizzle a little dressing over this to break it up a little bit. Toss in all vegetables and top with chicken strips. Garnish with sliced jalapenos and crushed peanuts to taste. Add dressing to your taste.
NOTES:
1) Grilled shrimp, seasoned the same way, was the original animal protein.
2) The fabulous dinner pinch-hitter Costco chicken will also work. Just shred a bit of chicken, minus the skin.
3) Hold up well as a day-after salad as long as you keep the peanuts out.
4) Recommend using juice of a whole lemon, and then keeping the proportions as they are in the recipe. (equal parts). However, do not add more than one chili.
