Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad

Ingredients

• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
• 0.5 jalapenos pepper , seeded and minced
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 0.25 cups fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons vegetarian fish sauce
• 1 package dried rice noodles , 12 ounce
• 2 carrots , julienned
• 1 cucumber , halved lengthwise and chopped
• 0.25 cups chopped fresh mint
• 4 leaves napa cabbage
• 0.25 cups unsalted peanuts
• 4 sprigs fresh mint

Instructions

1. 1

   Mince the garlic with the cilantro and the hot pepper. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the lime juice, fish sauce or salt and sugar; stir well. Let the sauce sit for 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rice noodles; boil them for 2 minutes. Drain well. Rinse the noodles with cold water until they have cooled. Let them drain again.

3. 3

   Combine the sauce, noodles, carrots, cucumber, mint and Napa cabbage in a large serving bowl. Toss well and serve the salad garnished with the peanuts and mint sprigs.