This cooling noodle salad is a popular dish during the dog days of summer in Thailand — plus, at less than 250 calories, it’s a filling but low-cal main with 20 grams of protein. Bean thread noodles — also called glass noodles or cellophane noodles — are clear noodles made from mung bean flour. They have a satisfying chew, but very few calories. Look for them where Asian ingredients are sold.
Cold Thai Noodle Salad With Shrimp and Minced Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 ounces (114g) bean thread noodles, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
- 3 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 4 ounces (114g) ground chicken or pork
- 8 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup (150g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
- 3 small shallots, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup (5g) fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 3 tablespoons (44ml) lime juice
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) fish sauce
- 4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1–2 red Thai chili peppers or 1 medium serrano pepper, finely chopped
Directions
In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add the mushrooms, cover, and set aside for 20 minutes. Remove mushrooms from the pan, thinly slice the caps and discard the stems, set aside.
Return the mushroom water to a boil over high heat. Add the ground chicken and simmer until just cooked through, 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or small, fine-mesh sieve to transfer the chicken to a large serving bowl. Add the shrimp to the simmering water and cook until curled and pink, 4 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the chicken.
Drain the the noodles and add them to the pot. Simmer until al dente, about 1 minute. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup (60ml) of the cooking liquid, set aside. Snip the noodles with clean scissors into 4-inch lengths and add to the bowl with the chicken and shrimp. Add the sliced mushrooms, tomatoes, celery, shallots and cilantro.
In a small bowl, combine the reserved cooking liquid, lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, sugar and chili peppers, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Toss with the noodle mixture and serve at room temperature or cold.
Serves: 4 | Serving size: 1 1/2 cups salad
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 236; Total Fat: 2g; Saturated Fat: 0g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 24mg; Sodium: 721mg; Carbohydrate: 37g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar:2g, Protein: 20g
