Vietnamese Noodle Bowl

We loved Vietnamese food and we probably go there once a week.  In cold weather, we really enjoy a big bowl of hot pho, it warms us up and tastes delicious.  On hot summer days, I prefer the cold noodle bowl, it is so refreshing as it is fulled of vegetable and herbs.  We also like the rice plate and their fried egg rolls and fresh summer rolls.  Since some restaurants charge $2 for one summer roll, I prefer to make it at home.

Actually I had no intention of making this noodle but I only left with half of a English cucumber and a little romaine lettuce and I had to think of dinner for my family.  Luckily besides kimchi, my fridge also has some pickled radish and carrot at most times.  So, this dish was born.  I also always have some ground toasted peanuts in the freezer for emergency like this.  Since I finished all of it, it's time to make a new batch to freeze.  I served it with leftover spicy hot wings that my husband bought.

This noodle would be great with leftover Hawaiian BBQ chicken too!

Nuoc Cham Sauce:

1/2 cup + 1/8 cup white vinegar
4 Tbsp. lime juice
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups water
1/2 cup fish sauce
1 1/4 cup granulated cane sugar
1/2 Tbsp. sambal oelek

Method:

In a saucepan, add vinegar, lime juice, garlic and water.  Let it boil.  When boiling, turn it to simmer and add cane sugar and sambal oelek.  Stir until sugar dissolved.  Turn off the heat and stir in the fish sauce (your house will be less stinky).  Let it cools.  

When cooled, pour the sauce into a glass bottle and keep refrigerated.  You can use it for noodle or as a dipping sauce for fried or fresh rolls.

I think it yields enough for 7 bowls of noodle.  About 3.5 cups of sauce.

And for the noodle:

I used Guilin rice sticks noodle, top with shredded romaine lettuce, cucumber, carrot and pickled radish and carrot and chopped scallion.  Of course I was using leftover and what I had in my refrigerator at that time.  You are free to add bean sprouts and herbs such as basil, cilantro and mint.  Lastly garnish with ground toasted peanuts.  Serve it with meat, poultry or seafood of your choice.  For vegetarian, you can serve it with fried tofu or seasoned tempeh.