Asian Glass Noodles Fresh Vegetable Salad

One of the best salads I have tasted in my life is the Asian glass noodles salad with fresh vegetables. As a former student in one of the international graduate schools in Asia (based in Thailand), I have to think of easy to prepare meals that's healthy and plant-based. 

For people who are always on the go, this salad can be one of your go-to meals. It is a one-dish meal that's loaded with protein, carbohydrates, and necessary calories and nutrients. It just takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.

Asian cuisines are known for its flexibility when it comes to plant-based meals or diets. This simple salad is perfect for vegan and non-vegans.  It is gluten-free as it’s made from mungbean starch. 

Glass noodles is found mostly in East and Southeast Asia. A colorless and flavorless noodles that can also be used for soups, salads, stir fries, and spring rolls. 

Try it and you'll be surprised, you’ll surely forget all your problems with its delicious flavor. 

Ingredients

• 150 g dried Asian glass noodles (mungbean/vermicelli)
• 200 g diced tofu or shrimp
• 1 tsp oil
• 5 leaves garlic chives or spring onions, sliced
• 3/4 bunch of cilantro, sliced thinly
• 1 medium-sized carrot, sliced thinly
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

Dressing/Sauce

• 2 lemon or lime, sliced
• 2-3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce 
• 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1-2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger root, grated
• 1 small red chili, minced
• 40 g roasted cashew or peanuts

Instructions

1. Put the Asian glass noodles in a bowl with cold water. Let it soak for about 8-10 minutes.
2. Drain the glass noodles and cut it into your desired length. Add noodles to pot of hot water (not boiling), let it sit for 1-2 minutes. Drain and set aside. 
3. Heat a middle-sized pan with 1 tsp of oil. Add the cubed tofu or peeled shrimps, cook for about 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and let it fry for another 2 minutes, then add the garlic and fry for another minute. Set aside.
4. For the sauce: squeeze the lime or lemon juice into a small bowl and add the soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, ginger, chili, and cane brown sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
5. Slice carrot into thin and long strips. Add glass noodles and sauce into the big bowl and stir evenly until it’s fully coated with sauce.
6. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Sprinkle with roasted cashew or peanuts and cilantro to garnish before serving.

Recipe Notes

You can easily find glass noodles in Asian supermarkets but there's a pretty good chance, that your local grocery store carries them as well. They are sometimes labeled mungbean noodles or bean threads.

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