Try this Vietnamese Shrimp Noodle Bowls recipe
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 4 tbsp thai sweet chili sauce (store-bought or using this
- 2 tsp fish sauce (sub soy sauce or tamari)
- 6 oz rice vermicelli noodles (see note)
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined (use the smallest shrim
- 3 small cucumbers halved and chopped
- 1/3 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- 1/4 cup mint leaves chopped
- 1/2 cup peanuts roasted and unsalted
- 1 head butterhead lettuce
- 1 lime, sliced into wedges
- Carbohydrate 3.79956583405301 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.11983708337664 g
- Fiber 1.22518333127937 g
- Protein 0.503442500196158 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0218536666762872 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (205g)
- Sodium 21.7458333353622 mg
- Sugar 2.57438250277364 g
- Trans Fat 0.0315310416756071 g
- Calories 16 calories
Step-by-step
- Make the dressing by whisking together sweet chili sauce, water, lime juice, and fish sauce. Taste and adjust if you'd like. (Add lime juice for more tartness, fish sauce for more salt, or a pinch of sugar if you want it more sweet.) Dressing can be made and refrigerated up to a week ahead.
- Put rice noodles in a large mixing bowl. Place a colander over the bowl (on top of the noodles) and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add shrimp to boiling water and boil until cooked through, 2-3 minutes.
- When shrimp are finished cooking pour them into the colander so that the boiling water covers the noodles and the cooked shrimp remain in the colander. Set shrimp aside and let noodles soak until tender, 5-6 minutes. Drain noodles in the same colander as the shrimp.
- Combine noodles and shrimp with shredded carrot, cucumbers, cilantro, mint and peanuts. Add dressing and toss until well combined.
- Put one large butterhead lettuce leaf in the bottom of each of four serving bowls. Top with noodle salad and serve with lime wedges.
Using a single pot of boiling water to cook both the shrimp and rehydrate the rice noodles eliminates extra dishwashing while preventing overcooked seafood. Achieving the proper textural contrast relies on strict timing and temperature control during this dual-purpose boiling phase.
The Role of Heat in Texture
Dropping one pound of shrimp into boiling water cooks the protein in two to three minutes, turning the flesh opaque and firm. Pouring that hot water directly over the dried rice vermicelli softens the noodles in five to six minutes without turning them to mush. Strain the noodles immediately once tender to preserve a distinct bite that holds up against heavy dressings.Balancing Crisp and Soft Elements
Fresh herbs like cilantro and mint introduce bright aromatics, while shredded carrots and chopped cucumbers supply a crisp, watery crunch. Roasted peanuts add a hard snap that contrasts sharply with the yielding texture of the butterhead lettuce cups serving as the base.Complementary Accompaniments
Pairing these bowls with simple grilled pork skewers or fresh spring rolls rounds out the meal by adding contrasting protein textures and temperature variations. Serving additional lime wedges on the side allows diners to adjust the acidity level right before eating.
