SPICY 'GLASS' NOODLES WITH MINCE, dieters' delight with vegan/ carnivore options

A light, beautifully spiced summer salad with an exotic twist...

Prep-ahead Dieter's Delight Salad of 'Glass' Noodles with Spicy Mince.
Triple Duty: vegan or carnivore (Taster: 'Awesome flavours!')

This gorgeous spicy, sweet and refreshing salad - a cold version of the wonderful Thai Larb - is a delight.  It's free of high-sugar simple carbs (see simple vs  complex carbs below), is full of crunchy vitamin-loaded veg and is incredibly versatile.  It's also, despite being light, satisfying.  And though the ingredients list is longer than normal, it is wallet-friendly

The picture features firm tofu (making it vegan) but chicken, pork or beef mince can also be used.  The 'glass noodles' are made with green bean starch; they  can be replaced by egg noodles but will raise calorie levels. 

67 has given minimum and maximum amounts for those wary of/adore heat and offers alternatives for kitchens low on some ingredients.

Whatever your choice, the dish has minimal cooking; life will be easier if some steps are prepared the night before.

The salad is still fabulous the day after it's made or even the day after that so it could be worth your while to double the recipe.  It packs and travels well.  

Cost: £5'ish (7/23) depending on chosen ingredients 
Feeds: 2-3 as a main, double that for a side

Ingredients

Green Bean Vermicelli/glass noodles
 (Dieter's Delight)

   110-150gm/3.8-5.2 firm tofu, frozen & defrosted

   1 medium, or 3 small, packets green bean vermicelli (glass noodles) totalling 150gm/5.2oz  (see how to use your noodle/s)
   
   2 dried shiitake mushrooms, (OR 5 good-sized regular mushrooms)
   1/2 red onion, in small dice
   1.5 spring onions, white & green

   1/4-1/2 tsp chilli flakes or small fresh chilli, membranes & seeds removed, chopped finely
   1/4-1/2 tsp siracha sauce or tabasco
   1-2 tbsp soft brown sugar
   1/3 tsp fish sauce OR the zest and juice of a lemon Or 3/4 tsp hoisin sauce
   clove garlic, grated
   1/2 tablespoon grated, peeled fresh ginger
   zest and juice of one lime (this is essential)
   1-2 lemongrass (optional)
   1-3 tablespoons reduced salt soy sauce

   7 mint leaves (opt) 
   2 tbsp cilantro or parsley (opt)
   
   If not using above herbs, garnish with chopped parsley

  Handful: green beans or mange tout (strings removed)
               small cauliflower florets
               finely shredded red bell pepper
               grated raw carrot

Garnish: 
       generous handful roasted peanuts, oil and salt rubbed off, coarsely chopped 
       1 lime in 8 wedges

 Method:

1. Place dried mushrooms in a small bowl, cover with boiling water, rest at least 30 mins; cover until read to use 
2. Fill med pan with water; bring to a boil; add green beans/mange tout and cauliflower.  Return to the boil; cook 2-3 mins or until al dente; using a slotted spoon/spider, transfer to a bowl of ice water.  Cool & drain. Set aside. 
3. If using tofu: use both hands to squeeze excess liquid out of the tofu (it doesn't have to be dry); throw 3/4 of the squeezed tofu in a blender;  process roughly until tofu looks like mince (or rub tofu between hands). Tear the rest of the tofu into bite-sized pieces. Set aside. 
4. Prepare lemongrass if using: remove the bottom couple of fibrous inches (the bulb), peel off brown leaves, bash with a rolling pin until the fragrance is unmistakeable, slice thinly, cover & set aside
5. The above steps can be prepared in advance
6. Place noodles in a large bowl, pour boiling water over; leave 5 mins. Drain, blanche in cold water; drain again.  Snip here and there with with scissors; the noodles will be easier to eat
7. Retrieve dried mushrooms from soaking liquid; squeeze out and save most of liquid; remove & discard mushroom stems.  Pour mushroom juice through a tea strainer lined with a bit of clean j-cloth; set aside.  (If using fresh mushrooms, measure out 1/3 cup stock or water) 
8. In a med bowl, mix chilli, hot sauce, sugar, fish sauce Or lemon juice & zest OR Hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, lime zest & juice, reduced salt soy sauce and mushroom juice; set aside
9. Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat
10. Coarsely chop onions & mushrooms; add with lemongrass to blender; pulse or roughly process to a coarse paste, set aside
11. When pan is smoking hot, add 1 tbsp peanut or other light veg oil; pour in pureed onion, lemongrass & shrooms; stir fry briskly 1-2 mins; scrape contents into the bowl with chilli & other seasoning (see step 7); stir; set aside. These are your aromatics.
12. Return pan to stove; reduce heat to med high; add rest of oil, tip to coat surface
13. Add tofu OR other mince; leave for a min to brown (raw chicken or beef will need a few more minutes) then briskly move round to prevent sticking; if necessary drain off fat and set aside
14. Add a bit more oil to the pan, stir fry bell peppers & green beans 1 min;  stir in mince' fry 1 min until bell peppers & beans are al dente 
15. Add raw veg (grated or fine matchsticks of carrot; cauliflower florets, ribbons of courgette)
16. Stir contents of pan into the noodles 
17. Refrigerate at least an hour; dust with chopped peanuts and herbs.
18. Serve alongside small bowls of reduced salt soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce or sweet chilli dipping sauce, plus a platter of washed and drained lettuce leaves.:

Comments:

'This is an extraordinarily good salad; the favours are awesome.  Highly recommended.' Retired writer

Tips:

If you can afford it, fresh herbs are ten times better than dried in this recipe.

With pork mince

Simple vs Complex Carbs

Simple carbs are sugars; they appear in fizzy drinks, baked goods and fruit juices and should be avoided.  Complex carbs are high in fibre and starch; they have more food value, are digested more slowly and include fruit, vegetables, nuts, wholegrains and beans.

 Non-meat dishes on NavBar: Recipes II/Vegan...

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.