Thai Chili Cucumber Bowls with Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- Juice of 2 limes (about 4 tablespoons)
- Pinch of salt, plus ½ teaspoon
- 1 package (about 14 ounces) dried flat rice noodles
- 2–3 tablespoons Thai chili paste
- 3 green onions, ends trimmed, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 small English cucumber
- 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced
- 1 mango, peeled, pit removed and sliced
- ½ cup roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the red onion with 1 tablespoon of the lime juice and a large pinch of salt. Mix well. Set aside.
- Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 3–5 minutes to soften. Drain the noodles, then rinse under cold water to refresh. In a bowl, toss the noodles with the chili paste, half of the green onions, 2 teaspoons of the cilantro and 1 teaspoon of the remaining lime juice. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining lime juice with the sesame oil, soy sauce and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Cut the English cucumber in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon, then cut the cucumber crosswise into slices. Add the English cucumber to the vinaigrette along with the Persian cucumbers, bell pepper and mango. Toss gently to mix.
- Divide the noodles evenly among four serving bowls. Top with the vegetables and pickled onions, dividing them evenly. Garnish with the remaining green onions, cilantro, peanuts and sesame seeds. Serve.
