Rice Noodle Salad with Stirfried Pork and Chilli Omelette

Last night for dinner I really felt like something light bu tasty. I have made this salad many times and it fits the bill on both accounts. The recipe is from Ray McVinnie's cookbook 'The Modern Cook'. Ray McV is well known for his clean flavours and uncomplicated but lovely food. I have been to many of his cooking classes in the past and he is also a fantastic teacher who has a HUGE wealth of knowledge. He is one of the judges on NZ Masterchef which just adds to his well known profile. This recipe is really quite Vietnamese in flavour. The salad is cold but the omelette has a bit of heat to it and the pork is warm and very tasty. Together it is a flavour sensation...even the boys love it. I add whatever I want to the salad part. Last night the vegetables I added were mung bean sprouts, carrot and cucumber but in the past I have used asapargus, snowpeas, beans so it's up to you really. I really urge you to try this as you won't be disappointed.

Rice Noodle Salad with Stirfried Pork and Chilli Omelette

Omelette

1 spring onion, trimmed and thinly sliced
4 eggs
2 small dried chillis
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Lightly beat everything together and make an omelette. Once it is cool, slice it thinly and set aside.

Noodle Salad

250 gm rice noodles (either flat ones or vermicelli)
1/2 cucumber, seeds removed and cut into cubes
I carrot, peeled and then peeled into ribbons or julienned
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Any other vegetable you want s above but not too much
grated zest of 1 lemon
chopped, roasted and unsalted peanuts (about 75 gm)
3 Tbsp fish sauce
3 Tbsp caster sugar
1 Tbsp Japanese soy sauce
1 Tbsp peanut oil
4 Tbsp rice vinegar

Cook the rice noodles but be careful to not overcook them. Soak them in hot water first before briefly cooking them in boiling water. Cool under running cold water (this also stops them from sticking into a gloopy mass). Put into a bowl with the vegetables, garlic and lemon. Mix the fish sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce and oil together and pour over the noodle salad.

Pork

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
400 gm pork fillet, sliced thinly across the grain
3 Tbsp peanut oil
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp sugar

Heat the oil in a pan and add the garlic and ginger. Cook briefly then add the pork, fish sauce and sugar and stirfry over a high heat until the pork is cooked through and the mixture is dry and well browned.

Serve the hot pork over the top of the salad with the omelette sprinkled over. Sprinkle over the peanuts, some chopped fresh coriander and some fresh chopped mint (and basil if you want).