A few weeks ago, I asked a Vietnamese friend of mine which vermicelli noodles I wanted from the online Asian market for my Vietnamese Summer Rolls. She linked the page she thought was correct. So I ordered 4 bags. Of the wrong noodles. So I found another way to use them.
Asian Noodle Salad with Chicken and Cilantro (from EveryDay Food magazine)
1 TBSP olive oil
1 jalapeno chile, minced (seeds and ribs removed for less heat if desired)
3 TBSP minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 C dark-brown sugar
3/4 C rice vinegar
4 C shredded rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded (from one whole chicken), room temp.
1 package (8.8 oz) cellophane (bean thread) noodles, prepared according to package instructions
1 English cucumber, cut into 3-inch strips
2 C fresh cilantro leaves
1. In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add jalapeno, ginger, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add sugar and vinegar and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 6 minutes. Refrigerate until cool, at least 15 minutes (or up to one week).
2. Combine chicken, noodles, cucumber, and cilantro. Drizzle with dressing just before serving.
This was pretty quick and very easy. Using the precooked chicken makes it great for summer since you don't need to turn on the oven. Instead of the bead thread noodles, I used my sweet potato flour vermicelli noodles and they worked very nicely. My husband was skeptical at first because he smelled the vinegar cooking but the flavors blended well. The 5 year old even ate a little. Mostly the chicken.
