Chilled Vietnamese Rice Vermicelli Bowl with Herbs, Peanuts and Lime

Bring a kettle or pot of water to a boil and pour it over the rice vermicelli in a bowl; soak for 5 minutes until tender but not mushy.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 10 oz dried rice vermicelli noodles
• 2 Persian cucumbers, julienned
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1 cup mixed fresh herbs (mint, cilantro, Thai basil), torn
• 4 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 red Thai chili, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts, crushed
• 2 tablespoons fried shallots

Instructions

1. Bring a kettle or pot of water to a boil and pour it over the rice vermicelli in a bowl; soak for 5 minutes until tender but not mushy.
2. Drain the noodles and rinse thoroughly under cold running water until completely cool, then shake dry and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and sliced chili with 3 tablespoons of water until the sugar dissolves into a bright nuoc cham dressing.
4. Divide the cooled noodles among four bowls, coiling them into loose nests.
5. Arrange the cucumber, carrot, and bean sprouts over the noodles in neat piles.
6. Pile the torn herbs generously on top for that unmistakable garden freshness.
7. Spoon the nuoc cham over each bowl just before serving, or pass it at the table so everyone can dress to taste.
8. Finish with crushed peanuts and fried shallots for crunch, and toss everything together at the table.
9. This bun bowl is Vietnam's answer to summer heat, a no-cook lunch that layers cool rice noodles with a jungle of herbs and a sweet-salty-sour dressing that Vietnamese cooks call the soul of the meal. Assembled cold and eaten with chopsticks, it proves that the most refreshing food is often the one that never sees a stove, only a splash of lime and a shower of peanuts.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 380 kcal
• Protein: 11g
• Fat: 8g
• Carbohydrates: 68g
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 12g
• Sodium: 980mg