Vietnamese Shrimp Roll Salad

My favorite restaurant in the world is this little Vietnamese place called Lang Van in Charlotte, North Carolina. My family goes there to celebrate every graduation, birthday, anniversary, going-away or return home – basically any excuse we can think of to eat there. Every houseguest of ours will be brought there for at least one meal of their stay. The manager and head waitress, who has the mind of a steel trap, always warmly welcomes us before spouting off our usual order without blinking an eye.

The food there is incredible. Their tofu so good that my Grandpa Henry, a self-proclaimed tofu-hater, asked use to pass him seconds of “that chicken dish.” We didn't let him hear the end of that for a while. But I digress: Two of our favorites on the menu are fresh shrimp spring rolls and a spring roll salad. Both of them are just so ridiculously refreshing and delicious. The best part is that no matter how much of them you eat, you never get that disgusting greasy, bloated feeling of immediately regret that we know so well from Chinese food. This recipe is my best attempt to bring those dishes into my home and hopefully yours. 

Vietnamese Shrimp Roll Salad

Ingredients:

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Salad:

125 grams thin rice noodles

16 oz. frozen shrimp, defrosted, dried
1 cucumber, sliced into 1-2 inch stalks
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1 1/2 red peppers, thinly sliced into 1-2 inch talks
1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
1 bunch fresh basil, chopped

Dressing:
6 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. Sriracha
½ -1 tsp. soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Juice 1 lime
2 tsp. brown sugar
½-1 tsp. sesame oil
3-4 Tbsp. olive oil ( I like my dressing more acidic, so you many want to adjust the oil to taste)

Garnish:
¼ cup peanuts, chopped
More basil and mint
Cilantro optional

Directions:

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1.  Cook rice noodles according to directions. After cooking drain with cold water to prevent further cooking. Set aside. 

2.  Take shells off shrimp and boil in hot water until pink.  Set aside. 

3.  Grate the carrots. Chop the red peppers, cucumbers, basil and mint. 

4.  For dressing combine into a small bowl: rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, Sriracha, soy sauce, crushed garlic, lime juice, brown sugar, sesame oil and olive oil. 

5.  Combine everything into a large bowl and garnish with chopped peanuts.