serves 4
This flavorful salad goes together quickly. Sure, you could use bottled peanut sauce in a pinch, but it’s easy to make your own with handy pantry ingredients. Don’t be afraid to vary the vegetables according to what’s on hand and your own preference. For example, you might omit the carrot and tomatoes in favor of chopped red bell pepper and steamed broccoli florets.
8 ounces dried flat rice noodles or linguine
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
007cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon tamari
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 large carrot, shredded
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
¼ cup minced scallions
Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the sesame oil to coat.
While the noodles are cooking, combine the peanut butter, lime juice, tamari, brown sugar, and cayenne in a large bowl, whisking to blend well. Add a small amount of water if necessary to make a smooth sauce. Set aside.
To the dressing in the bowl, add the carrot, tomatoes, peas, scallions, and the cooked noodles. Toss gently to combine. Serve at room temperature. note: Ready-to-use fresh rice noodles may be used instead of dried.