Are you missing traveling these days? I definitely am. I don’t even need some far away exotic location, though. I think right about now I’d be pretty happy with a trip to a cafe right here in Istanbul for some good eats and a little chit-chat with girlfriends. Funny (and kind of nice) how all this change in life has made us really grateful for the little things and hopefully learn not to take them for granted. Perhaps for most (fingers-crossed,) that will be a long-lasting effect of life post Covid-19, if we ever get there.
For now though, while we are mostly stuck at home, maybe we can find other ways to travel. I know for me, food is always an easy way to be transported to another beloved or bucket list locale. One of the places in the former category for me is Vietnam. About 8 years ago this exact time of year, K & I were lucky enough to take a month long trip to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Indonesia. Circumstances had caused us to cancel our initial honeymoon to Mauritius where the itinerary consisted of mostly relaxing on a beach. And as a result, when we were able to take the trip 8 months later, we were able to think about what we might rather do instead.
Well, we opted to change destinations and have a much more adventure-filled getaway. And now two kids later, I’m so glad we did and got to do some things like trek all over the place in less than ideal conditions for toting around toddlers. There was still some lovely days spent relaxing on both the Pacific and Indian Oceans though. But one of the more, if not most memorable themes of the trip was all of the amazing food we ate. And Vietnam, more specifically Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) and Hoi An, were no exception to that.
Prior to that, Vietnamese food mostly meant pho or spring rolls to me. (I know, shame on me, right.) I do love a good bowl of the hot noodle soup loaded with herbs and fresh lime juice. But our culinary horizons were broadened in that month and I gained a real appreciation for so much more of their delicious cuisine. And one element that seemed to run through so many of the meals we had in both cities, was the use of lots of fresh herbs like mint, cilantro and thai basil just to name a few, used to garnish many of them. It really added such a fresh and flavorful kick. And now, whenever I eat something with that awesome trifecta of herbs, it brings me back to those magical days in a land far far away.
And that’s exactly what these Vietnamese Rainbow Noodle Bowls do for me. They are reminiscent of Bún chả, a Vietnamese salad made with vermicelli rice noodles, herbs and veggies and usually pork. I make mine instead with the flat rice noodles more common in pho because I like the texture and chew of those. You can go with whatever you prefer or have on hand. Either way, all the components combined still really symbolize so many delicious bites we encountered abroad. And if I close my eyes tight enough, I’m brought right back to one of those little street-side hole in the wall cafes. Somewhere we definitely wouldn’t be able to dine with our little ones, if not for the sole reason that the stroller wouldn’t even fit inside.
This salad is super easy and the only real work involved is the chopping of the vegetables and throwing a quick limey, ginger-y, slightly sweet and spicy vinaigrette together. It’s so tasty and really compliments all the crunchiness going on and the freshness of the yummy herbs. This really is the most ideal of summer meals. Aside from boiling water for the noodles, there’s no cooking involved. I happened to have some rotisserie style chicken I had made for another meal, so added that in there as well, but you can opt to leave it vegetarian. Or if you want the chicken, but don’t want to cook, grab an already cooked chicken from the market and bingo. (I miss those delicious ready-made rotisseries from back home.)
Please do try this and let me know if you love it so I can live vicariously through you until I can get my hands on some more rice noodles. You can leave a comment here or tag me on Instagram @a_treat_life. Thanks & happy food travels!
Vietnamese Rainbow Noodle Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 pkg brown rice noodles (white is good too)
- 4 cups chopped lettuce (romaine or spring mix works well)
- 3-4 cups shredded purple cabbage
- 2 cups carrots, julienned (about 4 carrots)
- 2 cups cucumbers, julienned (about 4 cucumbers)
- 2 cups red bell pepper, chopped to matchstick size (about 2 peppers)
- 1 1/2 cups mango, peeled & chopped to matchstick size
- 3/4 cup chopped peanuts (I used roasted & salted)
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 2 cups each fresh cilantro, mint and basil leaves (you can use Thai purple basil or green basil)
- 2-3 limes (for garnish and for the sauce)
For the sauce:
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (or any other oil you prefer)
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsps chopped fresh ginger
- 3 tbsps brown sugar (adjust sweetness to your liking)
- 1/2-1 tsp red chili flakes (plus more for garnish) ( I use the Turkish "pul biber" or aleppo pepper)
Instructions
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Begin by making the vinaigrette. Add all the ingredients for the vinaigrette to a small bowl. Whisk well, taste for sweetness and for spice and adjust as needed. Set aside.
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile prep all the vegetables and the mango and set in small individual dishes.
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Boil the noodles according to package directions, being sure not to overcook them. Drain.
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To assemble the bowls, begin by adding some of the chopped lettuce to the bottom of each bowl. Add a handful of the noodles on top. Then arrange the veggies, mango and herbs all around the noodles as pictured. Add some chicken on top if using, then some vinaigrette and toss to combine. Garnish with the chopped peanuts, some lime wedges and enjoy! (I like to serve all the components seperately so everyone can add what they want.)
Recipe Notes
*Keeping the veggies in separate bowls allows for individualized bowls and also keeps them fresher should you refrigerate the leftovers for the next day.
*Leftover noodles will stick together but if you pop them in boiling water for a second they will freshen up and pull apart again.
*I use the flat rice noodles, sometimes called “rice sticks” more common in pho or pad Thai, but you can also use the smaller rice vermicelli.
*If you can’t find Thai purple basil, regular green basil will work too.
