Grandma Susan's Hot Summer Night's Dinner (Nuoc Cham)
Nuac Cham, according to wikipedia, is a common name for a variety of Vietnamese dipping sauces that are served quite frequently as condiments.
This is a cold noodle dish that Grandma Susan ended up making often in the summer of 2020 when it was too hot to cook. Suze is a big fan.
Ingredients:
The Basic Dressing (makes ½ cup)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons ginger, grated
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
Variations on the Dressing
- Like it spicy? Add 1 teaspoon chile garlic sauce, some Siracha or
- Creamy? Add 3 teaspoons nut butter
- Umami? Add 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- Gluten free? Substitute tamari for soy sauce
- No soy? Substitute coconut aminos for soy sauce
The Basic Salad (serves 4)
- 1 4-ounce package vermicelli rice noodles or Shirataki (low carb)—prepare as directed on the package
- 1 cup shredded chicken
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup cucumbers, julienned or sliced
Make it your own — What’s in the fridge?
- Add or substitute shredded lettuce or cabbage, radishes, bell peppers or edamame.
- No peanuts? Add roasted cashews.
- No cilantro? Add mint or basil. Or combine them all.
- Pescatarian? Add cooked shrimp.
- Vegetarian? Add tofu or even sliced egg rolls to bulk it up!
Toppings
- chopped roasted peanuts
- sliced scallions
- toasted sesame seeds
- cilantro
- lime wedges
- sriracha
- sesame seeds
- fresh jalapeño,
Instructions:
Make the Sauce (can be done ahead of time):
- Make the dressing by whisking all of the ingredients together vigorously. Dressing stores in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Construct the dish:
- Chill all ingredients for your salad, except the dressing. The dressing should be at room temperature.
- Toss cooked noodles with chicken, carrots, cucumbers and 1/3 cup dressing.
- Continue adding dressing until reaching desired flavor and serve with any remaining dressing table side along with your favorite toppings.
This salad stays good chilled in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Adapted from a recipe by Anna Hampton