Two recipes in one: same ingredients, different sauce. Or maybe you
want to use the same sauce? Or switch them around? These dishes expand
or contract with the number of people you’re serving. Make as much or
as little as looks good to you. With the components cooked, shredded
and chopped, and stored in the fridge, assembling these dishes takes
only a minute. Serves 6 or more, depending on what else you serve.
1-1/2 lb rice vermicelli
1 package banh trang (rice paper rounds)
Leftover cooked chicken (1 lb for 6-8 people)
1 dozen cooked and cooled medium shrimp, optional
Shredded carrots
Shredded cucumber (European seedless cukes work best)
Shredded iceberg lettuce (3/4 head for 6 people)
Handful of mint leaves
Mung bean sprouts (1/2 lb for 6 people)
Chopped peanuts (dry roasted, unsalted), for topping – a few tablespoons
Nuoc Cham
Chinese peanut dressing
Fill a bowl with hot water. Soak the rice vermicelli for 15 minutes, until flexible. Drain. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the rice vermicelli, and cook for 1 minute. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Set aside.
To make the bun gao salad: To a large serving bowl, add the cooked rice vermicelli , carrots, cucumber, lettuce, bean sprouts, and mint leaves. Top with chicken. Toss with nuoc cham. Top with chopped peanuts and serve. (If assembling the salad ahead, don’t add the dressing until you are ready to serve.)
And here's my recipe for goi cuon salad rolls, using the same ingredients.
VARIATIONS: Cooked pork instead of shrimp for the salad rolls, or grilled tofu strips for a totally vegetarian dish. Grilled shrimp or thinly sliced grilled flank steak instead of chicken in the salad. Use leftover meat, chicken, fish, even grilled tofu in the salad. Fresh basil leaves instead of, or in addition to, mint leaves in either dish.
1-1/2 lb rice vermicelli
1 package banh trang (rice paper rounds)
Leftover cooked chicken (1 lb for 6-8 people)
1 dozen cooked and cooled medium shrimp, optional
Shredded carrots
Shredded cucumber (European seedless cukes work best)
Shredded iceberg lettuce (3/4 head for 6 people)
Handful of mint leaves
Mung bean sprouts (1/2 lb for 6 people)
Chopped peanuts (dry roasted, unsalted), for topping – a few tablespoons
Nuoc Cham
Chinese peanut dressing
Fill a bowl with hot water. Soak the rice vermicelli for 15 minutes, until flexible. Drain. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the rice vermicelli, and cook for 1 minute. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Set aside.
To make the bun gao salad: To a large serving bowl, add the cooked rice vermicelli , carrots, cucumber, lettuce, bean sprouts, and mint leaves. Top with chicken. Toss with nuoc cham. Top with chopped peanuts and serve. (If assembling the salad ahead, don’t add the dressing until you are ready to serve.)
And here's my recipe for goi cuon salad rolls, using the same ingredients.
VARIATIONS: Cooked pork instead of shrimp for the salad rolls, or grilled tofu strips for a totally vegetarian dish. Grilled shrimp or thinly sliced grilled flank steak instead of chicken in the salad. Use leftover meat, chicken, fish, even grilled tofu in the salad. Fresh basil leaves instead of, or in addition to, mint leaves in either dish.