k  Vietnamese Rainbow Noodles with nuoc cham dipping sauce  k

Ingredients (serves 16)

600g rice noodles

4 carrots in julinenne strips

2 red pepper in julinenne strips

2 yellow pepper in julinenne strips

1/2 red cabbage in julinenne strips

8 spring onions in julinenne strips

12 radishes thinly sliced

bunch coriander chopped

2 tablespoon nigella seeds (or bleack sesame seeds)

2 tablespoon sesame oil

4 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts

For the dressing

8 garlic cloves, chopped

2 red bird’s eye chillies, halved, deseeded and chopped

4 tablespoon caster sugar

4 limes, juice

12 tablespoon fish sauce (if vegan use soy sauce)

Method

To make the Nuoc Cham, put the garlic and chillies in a mortar and pestle with the salt and grind until you almost have a paste. (It doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth.) Add everything else and mix. Taste and adjust the balance of hot, sour, salty, and sweet to taste. It’s very powerful, so dilute with a little water if you like, but remember it’s going to be eaten with something starchy.

Prepare rice noodles plunging into freshly boiled water for 2 minutes and then refreshing under a cold tap. Set aside.

Assemble the salad directly before serving. Place cold noodles in a large bowl all the vegetables through the noodles – drizzle with the dressing and mix thoroughly again. Serve straight away with the satay tofu.