Vietnamese Noodle Salad

1. 1

   Bring a large covered pot of salted water to a boil.

2. 2

   Add the noodles and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Drain the noodles, rinse with cold water, and drain again.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.

5. 5

   (For a smoother dressing, puree in a blender.)

6. 6

   Prepare the vegetables and tofu and add them to the bowl with the dressing: Peel, halve, and seed the cucumber, and then cut the halves into 1/4 inch-thick crescents.

7. 7

   Peel the carrot and cut it into matchsticks.

8. 8

   Slice the scallions on the diagonal.

9. 9

   Cut the tofu into matchsticks.

10. 10

    Add the noodles to the bowl and toss well.

11. 11

    Serve at room temperature, sprinkled with peanuts.

12. 12

    Change the menu with the seasons: Serve with cool, crunchy Pan-Asian Slaw (page 212) in the summer and with savory Indonesian Sweet Potato & Cabbage Soup (page 122) when its cold outside.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.