Oriental noodle salad

 

     Colorful and crunchy, this salad is ideal for a party crowd. To make a main-dish salad, add cooked chicken or shrimp.

Makes 12 servings

Salad

• ½ pound capellini or other thin pasta
• 2 medium-size carrots, pared and cut into matchsticks
• 6 ounces snow peas, cut into matchsticks
• 1 medium-size sweet red pepper, cored, seeded and diced
• 2 green onion, sliced
• 1 can/8 ounces bamboo shoots, drained
• 1 can/8 ounces sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 1 can/15 ounces baby corn, drained and cut into ½-inch slices

Dressing

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Oriental sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped, pared fresh ginger
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup chopped peanuts

Prepare salad

1. Cook pasta according to package directions ; add carrots and snow peas during last 30 seconds of cooking time.
2. Drain ; rinse with cold water ; drain well.
3. Combine pasta, sweet red pepper, green onion, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and baby corn in large bowl.

Prepare dressing

1. Stir together soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, cilantro and ginger in small bowl.
2. Add dressing to pasta ; toss well to combine.
3. Refrigerate, covered, until serving.
4. Whisk together chicken broth and mayonnaise in small bowl until smooth ; refrigerate, covered, until serving.

To serve

1. Toss salad with mayonnaise mixture ; garnish with peanuts.

BON APPÉTIT