Ready in no time, packed with tangy, spicy flavour and incredibly healthy. This Pickled Ginger Noodle Salad is a winning lunchtime combination.
Monday morning hits and the reality of the weekend bites – I have half a pack of pickled ginger left over from Saturday night’s supper in the fridge and no plan to use it up. What should I do with it? For me, weekdays consist of healthy, well balanced meals for myself and my family. They have to be quick though, whether that’s in the evening when small mouths will not wait, or daytime and its just me here with a bunch of things to do before school ends. That’s where this little gem of a salad helps out. Pickled Ginger Noodle Salad is ready in no time, packed with flavour and full-on healthy.
At the base of this recipe is a tasty salad of noodles, tenderstem broccoli and Romanesco (aka Romanesque cauliflower or Romanesco broccoli or even broccoflower). I’ve dressed up these ingredients with a lovely tangy, spicy dressing. Not bad, not bad at all. But by adding on some toppings this Pickled Ginger Noodle Salad hits a new level completely. The choice of topping is purely personal, but I recommend a mix of
- red chilli
- fresh coriander
- spring onions
- toasted peanuts
Dressed with all of these additional treats this salad practically dances in your mouth. I’m not sure if it’s the satisfying crunch of those peanuts, or the heat from the chilli as the days get colder, but I’ll admit that I’m hooked on this right now.
Lunch sorted, mmmmm, what to do with the half tub of white miso paste also lurking in the fridge.
- 2 Limes - juiced
- 2 tsp Fsh sauce*
- 2 tsp Soy sauce
- 1 tsp Sesame oil
- 50 g/ 2oz Pickled (sushi) ginger
- 100 g/ 4oz Dried vermicilli rice noodles
- 125 g/ 5oz Tenderstem broccoli
- 125 g/ 5oz Romanesco
- 1 Red chilli
- 2 Spring onions
- 15 g/ 1/2oz Coriander leaves
- 50 g/ 2oz Unsalted peanuts
-
Toast the peanuts in a preheated oven (180°C/ 350°F) for 10-15 minutes, turning once, until they are golden brown
-
Put the first 4 dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix well, then finely slice the pickled ginger and add to the sauce
-
Prepare the toppings - chop the peanuts, coriander & chilli and slice the spring onions. Arrange on a plate or in bowls ready for the table
-
Trim the broccoli ends and slice in half lengthways through the stalks. Cut the romanesco into small florets and slice any stalk into thin rounds. Blanche the veg in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then drain and plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process
-
Cook the noodles in boiling water according to pack instructions, drain, then rinse with cold water
-
Put the noodles, veg and sauce into a large bowl, toss well to mix, then serve in bowls with the toppings alongside
I've been told that a good vegetarian substitute for fish sauce is a mix of 2 parts soy sauce to 1 part miso paste. I have not tried it yet, but hate not to put a substitute down if I can help it.
Joanne Higginson
I very much appreciate your veggie alternative :o) x