Grilled Lemongrass Shrimp Rice Noodle Salad Food

VIETNAMESE RICE NOODLES WITH LEMONGRASS SHRIMP

Steps:

• Make the pickled vegetables: Put carrot and daikon in a small bowl and sprinkle with sugar and salt. Add rice vinegar, toss well and set aside.
• Make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, ginger and chiles. Stir in 1/2 cup cold water and let mixture sit for 15 minutes. (Leftover sauce will keep up to 3 days, refrigerated.)
• Marinate the shrimp: Put shrimp in a shallow dish. Add fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic and lemongrass. Mix well to coat.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Turn off heat and add rice noodles. Soak noodles, stirring occasionally, until softened, usually about 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Leave in colander at room temperature.
• Prepare a platter of lettuce leaves and herb sprigs for the table. Keep cool, covered with a damp towel.
• Put oil in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add shrimp without crowding (work in batches if necessary). Cook for about 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned.
• To serve, divide noodles among 4 large soup bowls, then top each with hot shrimp, pickled vegetables and a tablespoon or so of dipping sauce. Sprinkle with scallions and peanuts (and beans sprouts if using). Pass herb platter and remaining dipping sauce at the table, and encourage guests to customize bowls as desired.

GRILLED SHRIMP AND NOODLE SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook as the label directs; drain and rinse with cold water.
• Meanwhile, whisk the lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, chili sauce and 1/3 cup water in a medium bowl. Transfer 1/4 cup of the marinade to another bowl and toss with the shrimp. Toss another 1/4 cup marinade with the asparagus and mushrooms in a third bowl. Let the shrimp and vegetables marinate 10 minutes at room temperature. Toss the noodles with the remaining marinade.
• Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Grill the shrimp, asparagus and mushrooms until the shrimp is just cooked through and the asparagus is slightly tender, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Halve the mushrooms and cut the asparagus into pieces.
• Divide the noodles among bowls and top with the shrimp, asparagus, mushrooms, carrot and cilantro.

LEMONGRASS GRILLED CHICKEN WINGS WITH RICE NOODLES

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium high and prepare for indirect grilling. On a charcoal grill, bank the coals to one side; on a gas grill, turn off half the burners. Combine the lemongrass, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon each sesame oil, lime juice and water and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Pour into a heatproof bowl; stir in 1 more tablespoon lime juice.
• Toss the wings in a separate bowl with 3 tablespoons of the sauce and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Place on the cooler side of the grill (indirect heat), cover and cook, turning once, until cooked through but not browned, 15 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook and cool the noodles as the label directs. Cut the cucumber into matchsticks. Toss in a colander with a pinch of salt; squeeze to remove the excess liquid. Add to the noodles along with the chile, herbs and remaining 3 tablespoons sesame oil, 2 teaspoons fish sauce and 2 teaspoons lime juice; season with salt and pepper and toss, adding more lime juice to taste.
• Move the wings to direct heat; cook, turning and brushing with some of the remaining sauce, until crisp, 10 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the remaining sauce. Serve with the noodles.

GRILLED SHRIMP SALAD WITH LEMONGRASS AND CHILES

Steps:

• Prepare grill for cooking.
• Soak shrimp (still in shells) in salt water 5 minutes, then rinse well in a colander.
• Pound all chiles with garlic to a coarse paste with a mortar and pestle and stir in fish sauce and lime juice and sugar to taste. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Snip shells of shrimp with scissors down center of back, from wide end to second-to-last tail section. Butterfly shrimp in their shells, making a deep incision along length of back where shells are cut, and devein.
• Discard tough outer leaves of lemongrass and trim root ends. Thinly slice lower 6 inches of stalks.
• Grill shrimp on their sides on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until shells are pink and slightly charred and shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. (Alternatively, grill shrimp in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderate heat.)
• Toss shrimp (with shells still on) with chile mixture and stir in sliced lemongrass, shallots, scallions, and mint.
• Serve on a bed of lettuce and tomato with cilantro or mint.

GRILLED LEMONGRASS BEEF AND NOODLE SALAD

Steps:

• Make marinade:
• Thinly slice lower 6 inches of lemongrass stalks, discarding remainder of stalks. In a food processor or blender finely grind together sliced lemongrass and garlic. Add remaining marinade ingredients and blend well.
• In a large resealable plastic bag combine marinade and steak and seal bag, pressing out excess air. Marinate steak, chilled, turning bag once or twice, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• In a large bowl soak noodles in hot water to cover 15 minutes, or until softened and pliable.
• Prepare grill (or preheat broiler). Bring a kettle of salted water to a boil for noodles.
• Discard marinade and grill steak on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 3 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. (Alternatively, steak may be broiled on rack of a broiler pan about 3 inches from heat about same amount of time.) Transfer steak to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes.
• While steak is cooking, drain noodles in a colander and cook in boiling water 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until just tender. In a colander drain noodles and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain noodles well.
• In a large bowl toss noodles with herbs and half of nuoc cham. Divide cucumber among 4 bowls or plates and top with noodles. Sprinkle each serving with 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons rice powder. Thinly slice steak on the diagonal and divide among noodles, mounding it. Sprinkle chilies over each serving and garnish with herb sprigs. Serve remaining nuoc cham on the side.

GRILLED LEMONGRASS-LIME CHICKEN WITH JICAMA SLAW AND RICE NOODLE

Steps:

• Chicken:.
• Puree cilantro, 2 tbsp fish/soy sauce, lemongrass bulb, garlic, lime zest, lime juice and ground pepper in blender to a course paste.
• Coat chicken with mixture and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Turn chicken (recoating with excess in dish) 15 minutes after refrigerating.
• Jicama Slaw:.
• Place scallions, peppers, jicama and snow peas in large mixing bowl. Whisk sugar, 1 tbsp fish/soy sauce, chili sauce, sesame oil and sesame seeds in small mixing bowl. Pour sauce mixture onto vegetables and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (can be made 24 hrs ahead).
• Remove chicken from refrigerator and prepare grill medium to high heat.
• Boil water for rice noodles.
• Grill chicken (with marinade paste on) until cooked thoroughly. Remove from heat, cover and let rest.
• Add noodles to boiling water and turn off heat. Let soak until tender and drain (adding a dash of extra-virgin olive oil to prevent sticking).
• Plate noodles and top with slaw. Add chicken on top of noodles and slaw and garnish with cilantro.

GRILLED LEMONGRASS BEEF-PORK/TOFU AND NOODLE SALAD

Steps:

• Make marinade:.
• Thinly slice lower 6 inches of lemongrass stalks, discarding remainder of stalks. finely chop lemongrass and garlic. Add remaining marinade ingredients and mix well.
• In a large resealable plastic bag combine marinade and meat and seal bag, pressing out excess air. Marinate overnight or at least 4 hours.
• In a large bowl soak noodles in hot water to cover 15 minutes, or until softened and pliable.
• Prepare grill (or preheat broiler). Bring a kettle of salted water to a boil for noodles.
• Discard marinade (I used it to cook sugar peas in as a side dish) and grill meat on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 3 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare (for steak, I cooked the pork for about 10 min on bbq on med-high.
• Or put on skewers with veggies of choice (I used onions, yellow bell peppers and mushrooms).
• While steak is cooking, drain noodles in a colander and cook in boiling water 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until just tender.
• In a colander drain noodles and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain noodles well.
• In a large bowl toss noodles with herbs and half of nuoc cham.
• Divide cucumber among 4 bowls or plates and top with noodles.
• Sprinkle each serving with 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons rice powder (toast rice grains on med until light brown and grind).
• Thinly slice meat on the diagonal and divide among noodles, mounding it. Sprinkle chilies over each serving and garnish with herb sprigs. Serve remaining nuoc cham on the side. add cucumbers, sugar peas, etc.