Creedy’s special Vietnamese salad

This one is from my dad to you

I think for the past 10 years now I have been eating this salad on the regular and it never gets old. My Dad has always made this for me and it forever will be one of my all time favourites. Packed with fresh, thin sliced veggies, glass noodles and delicious port mince… argh even just writing this makes me hungry, Not only can this recipe be a beautiful bowl of goodness but also doubles as the ingredients for rice paper rolls too. So enough of me rambling, let's cook.

Difficulty: 3
Serves: 4

Storage: Fridge 1 week

INGREDIENTS

Mince

• 1 Onion - Chopped fine

• 1 Fat thumb of Ginger - Chopped fine

• 2 Garlics - Chopped fine

• 1tbs Olive Oil 

• 500g pork mince (or chicken)

• Salt n pepper to liking

• Optional - Chilli flakes - flick/splash or fresh 

• 1 Chicken Stock cube (halved)

• Splash or 2 of water

Salad/veggies

• 1pkt Rice noodles ( I like to use….)

• 1 Red Capsicum

• 1 Lebanese Cucumber or any cucumber

• 2 carrots

• 1 pkt bean sprouts

• 1 bunch of mint

Utensils

• 1 x Pot

• 1 x Sharp knife or Julienne tool

• 1 x peeler

• 1 x 4 section food safe container (for Salad / Vegies)

• 1 x food safe container (for Mince)

Sauce (optional)

• Vietnamese dipping sauce (Poonsin)

• Or low calorie option: lime juice and salt

method

Mince

1. Chop onion, garlic, ginger fine and fry over medium heat until soft/translucent adding pepper and salt as needed.

2. Add Mince and brown over 5 minutes or ensuring break up mince and well mixed with other ingredients.

3. Once browned add 1/2 stock cube dissolved in 100mls hot water and stir so mixed well with all ingredients. (Add more or less as needed)

4. Cook for 5 to 10mins depending on heat and look for slight catching/browning of meat making sure not to stick.

5. Mince and ingredients should be nicely mixed and cooked - not dry as and not runny but glistening.

Salad/veggies

1. Slice capsicum onto nice thin pieces approx 5cm long each piece.

2. Julienne / slice carrots nice and thin.

3. Julienne / slice cucumber nice and thin.

4. Pack all ingredients (choose your own adventure where its about layering and freshness so use what you like for a light and healthy eat) separately into 4/quad food container

Notes from Dad - Putting it together

• Portion of rice noodles in bowl first

• Spoon or 2 of the pork mince over the top

• Layer pinch of salad/veigies with bean sprouts, carrot, then capsicum, then cucumber

• Finish with a few pinches of mint leaves.

• Optional Dipping sauce splash over the top...

• Stick your chop sticks or fork in and give it a twirl/mix and chow down. Enjoy - Creedy