Rice noodle bowl with herbs and chilli-lime dressing

SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 15 MINS (PLUS STANDING, DRAINING)

To make this bowl even more of a meal, add some cooked prawns, or grilled beef or chicken.

200 gm rice vermicelli

¼ Chinese cabbage, thinly

sliced

1 telegraph cucumber, peeled

and coarsely chopped

2 red shallots, thinly sliced 1 spring onion, cut into

julienne

45 gm (⅓ cup) roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped

3 cups (loosely packed) herbs, such as Vietnamese mint, coriander, shiso and mint Bean sprouts and lime cheeks, to serve

CHILLI-LIME DRESSING

60 ml (¼ cup) fish sauce

60 ml (¼ cup) lime juice

(from about 1½ limes) 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 birdseye chilli, thinly sliced 1 tsp rice malt syrup, or to

taste (optional)

1 Soak vermicelli in boiling water until tender (3-5 minutes), then drain, refresh under cold running water, and drain well. Snip with scissors into 10cm-15cm lengths and transfer to serving bowls.

2 For dressing, whisk fish sauce, lime juice, garlic and chilli in a bowl and season to taste with sugar.

3 Top noodles with cabbage, cucumber, shallots, spring onion, peanuts, herbs and bean sprouts, drizzle with dressing and serve with lime cheeks.

Bowls reward forward planning. Prep, box up and assemble on the fly.