Vietnamese-style Rice Noodle Salad

Recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine.

I love it when a salad is so tasty that you just want to keep eating it and satisfying enough that you can have it as a meal all on its own. This salad is all that while being wonderfully fresh, light and crunchy. 

What you'll need

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp minced ginger

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 Thai bird chile, seeded and minced (I couldn't find any at the grocery store, so instead I added 1/4 tsp chile flakes)

8 oz dried rice noodles (about 1/4 inch thick)

8 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce (I used romane, just because I prefer it)

1 large carrot, shaved into ribbons (use a vegetable peeler)

1 large cucumber, cut into 1/2-in dice

5 medium radishes, thinly sliced

1 cup fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup salted peanuts, roughly chopped

How to

1.  In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, cilantro, fish sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, and chile and let sit for at least 10 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the rice noodles and stir immediately. Cook the noodles, stirring frequently, until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water until cool to the touch.

3.  In a large salad bowl, combine the noodles with the lettuce, carrot, cucumber, radishes, and mint leaves. Toss the salad with the dressing and garnish with the peanuts.