Rice Noodle Salad with Shrimp, Cucumbers & Carrots

What You Get

Rice noodles

Cucumbers

Scallions

Cilantro

Peeled, deveined shrimp

Limes

Serrano or jalapeño pepper

Shredded carrots

Crushed peanuts

What You'll Need

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Olive oil

Fish sauce or soy sauce

Brown sugar

Step 1

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Set the noodles by the stove, but don’t add them yet. (They cook quickly.) Thinly slice half of the cucumbers into half moons, reserving the rest for another use. Slice about ¼ cup of scallions. Pick the cilantro leaves and toss the stems. Remove the shrimp from the packaging, pat dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Step 2

In a frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the shrimp in a single layer, and sear until bright pink and tightly furled, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Step 3

To make the dressing, in a small bowl, combine the juice of 2 limes, 1 tablespoon fish or soy sauce, 2 teaspoons firmly packed brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons olive oil, and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Mince the serrano, removing the seeds if you prefer less heat, and add it to taste.

Step 4

Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook until tender, 3 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool.

Step 5

In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, 1 cup of the carrots, the scallions, and shrimp. Add the noodles to the bowl with the vegetables and shrimp, drizzle with the dressing, and toss to coat. Season to taste with soy or fish sauce.

Step 6

Heap the noodle salad in bowls, sprinkle with some of the crushed peanuts, scatter with the cilantro leaves, and serve.