The first time I had a spicy, cold rice noodle salad, it
wasn’t the bold flavors that caught me by surprise, but the strange and
addictive texture. It was so different to any pasta salad I’d ever had before,
that I was kind of bummed I hadn’t known about this stuff sooner. Makes
me sad to think about all the time back I wasted on those stupid, tri-color fusilli
salads.
Anyway, this is pretty easy and delicious stuff. I’m not
even sure these noodles are technically cooked, but simply softened in very hot
water to your personal preference of tenderness. You can, and many do, boil
this stuff like pasta for a couple minutes, and have what’s much closer to a
proper al dente angel hair, but I much prefer the toothsomeness you get using
the hot water method.
Unlike undercooked wheat flour pastas, this isn’t a gummy,
crunch, but much more of a “pop” or “snap” as your teeth break through the
almost tender noodles. Once soaked with the vibrant dressing, and topped with
the optional, but highly recommended grilled chicken, you have a change-of-pace
lunch that will be the talk of the water cooler.
