Pacific Rim Salad

This was the most popular dish that I made when I lived at The LifeStyle House of Fun (aka Tim's house), I use to quadruple the recipe (enough to fill a four gallon container) and it would all disappear in one day because everybody loved it so much. This is my very first recipe on Passionate Food for Sensual Souls and I brought it over from my original food blog, I decided to make this the first recipe because it is bursting in flavor and I love how colorful it is, it is definitely sensual food experience! Plus it is a great salad to eat when the weather gets warmer because it is cool yet spicy but not too spicy. 

The recipe originally came from New Woman Magazine 1996.

This salad can be made with shrimp, crab meat or chicken. I usually use jumbo prawns.

Ingredients:

1 bundle *buckwheat somen noodles or brown rice angel hair pasta (both are gluten free). If you have another type of gluten free pasta you prefer such as corn you can use that instead. *For people who are on a grain free diet try buckwheat noodles, buckwheat is not a grain it is from the rhubarb family (oddly enough).

*Note if you are allergic to any of the following veggies you can substitute them out with julienne slices of carrot, whole pea pods or celery just to name a few.

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut in julienne slivers.

3 to 4 young scallions, cut into julienne slivers.

1/2 medium sweet red pepper, seeded, cut into julienne slivers.

1/2 small hot green chili pepper, such as jalapeno, seeded and cut in julienne slivers (this can be omitted for a very mild salad).

1 lb. large shrimp about 18, boiled, shelled, and deveined, or one 1 lb. cooked lump crab meat, or 2 large chicken breasts (8 oz.), poached, skinned and boned after cooking.

2 thin slices peeled fresh ginger root.

1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced.

1/2 tsp. coarse salt (I prefer coarse pink Himalayan salt).

1/4 Cup sherry vinegar, rice wine vinegar or plain white vinegar.

1/3 Cup toasted sesame oil.

1 Tbsp. Light, low-sodium soy sauce (I use Bragg's Liquid Amino's it does not contain preservatives and is made with non GMO soy beans and much better for you than soy sauce or if you have problems with soy you can always try coconut Amino's, the flavor of the coconut amino's is lighter and sweeter than the Bragg's Liquid Amino's).

Optional garnishes:

Sprigs of watercress or small dark-green lettuce leaves; 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted in a skillet until golden brown (this is my personal favorite!); or 1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped roasted, unsalted peanuts.

Directions:

1. Boil noodles in 3 quarts well salted water until just tender (follow directions on package), they should be firm but not hard in the center. Drain immediately and rinse in cold water. Drain thoroughly on cloth towel.

2. In large bowl, combine noodles with vegetables and chili pepper  and toss lightly. Slice shrimp in half lengthwise (or pick over crab meat, or pull chicken into shreds with fingers) and add to bowl.

3. To make dressing, pulverize ginger, garlic slices, and salt with mortar and pestle, or in a bowl using back of wooden spoon. Combine with vinegar, oil, and soy sauce, adjusting each to taste. Toss dressing through salad ingredients.

4. Divide into portions and garnish.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings. Per serving (6 servings) with shrimp, 282 calories: 29% (22g) protein, 28% (10g) fat, 43% (33g) carbohydrate. 115 mg cholesterol; 325 mg sodium.

Enjoy!