Deconstructed Summer Roll Salad

The current heat wave… Makes me slightly dizzy. I’m constantly dreaming of ways to cool me down; inlcuding a pool to dip my feet in (at work), ice creams for breakfast, or maybe even just a tiny, chilly breeze at night to move through my bedroom? No such thing though. I’m just glad it’s the weekend soon. It’s not going to be any less hot, for the looks of it, but at least it will give the opportunity to strip down to the essentials – a bikini, hide in the shade and sip on a cold, ginormous glass of ice tea.

[gap height=”20″] This salad is basically the lazy people’s answer to vietnamese summer rolls. You know, those hard to roll things? I don’t know why it never occurred to me that I can simply throw everything on a plate that would normally go in the rolls, and call it quits? Laziness does things with your imagination. Or maybe it’s the heat?

Stay cool this weekend!

Lots of love,

S

1 pack glass noodles (fine or broader ones)

1/2 chinese cabbage, finely sliced

1/2 small red cabbage, finely sliced

1 red pepper, deseeded and finely sliced

1 carrot, peeled and julienned

1 cucumber, peeled and julienned

1 handful herbs, each: mint, thai basil, coriander

1 handful peanuts

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 garlic, grated

1 cm piece ginger, peeled and grated

1 tsp. sriracha chili sauce

1 tbsp. sesame oil

cook the glass noodles according to directions (for me – i used a broader variety, much like linguini – that meant soaking them in boiling water for 8 minutes), drain and cool in ice cold water. keep them soaking in the cold water until you use them, to prevent them from drying out. prepare the vegs as indicated. arrange the noodles on a plate and garnish with the vegs and herbs. whisk together the ingredients for a simple dressing. serve separately – together with the peanuts on the side – so everyone can make their individual salad.