Asian Noodle Salad

I found this about 10 years ago in a James McNair salad cookbook. If you like cilantro and a bit of kick from the chile oil then you will love this!!

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• For the Noodle salad

• 1  lb  of asian  wheat noodles or 1  lb  thin italian  noodles, such as spaghettini
• 8  ounces snow peas, cut on the diagonal into rectangles long thin pieces
• 1  cup  finely chopped green onion, including the green top
• 1  cup  coarsely chopped unsalted dry roasted peanuts
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped fresh cilantro

• For the Vinaigrette

• 1⁄3 cup rice vinegar
• 1⁄2 cup soy sauce, low sodium
• 1  tablespoon  minced  fresh gingerroot
• 1  garlic clove, pressed
• 1⁄8 cup  sesame oil
• 1⁄8 cup  high quality  vegetable oil
• 1⁄8 cup  hot chili oil, to taste
• 1  pinch salt

Directions

1. To make Vinaigrette:.
2. In a bowl combine the vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Whisk well. Add the oils and whisk or shake until emulsified. Alternatively, the ingredients may be mixed in a food processor or blender. Set aside and make salad.
3. To make Noodle Salad:
4. In a large pot, bring water to boil over high heat. Add a pinch of salt.
5. Drop in the noodles and stir vigorously.
6. Cook stirring frequently, until barely tender and still quite firm to the bite.
7. Drain and rinse quickly under running cold water and drain again.
8. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl. Add about half the vinaigrette, and toss well.
9. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to keep noodle strands from sticking together.
10. Bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil.
11. Add the snow peas and cook until tender, about 1 minute.
12. Drain, then plunge into ice water to halt cooking and preserve color. Drain well.
13. Add the snow peas, green onion, peanuts, cilantro and the remaining vinaigrette to the noodles and toss gently but throughly.
14. Serve at room temperature.