Cool Noodles With Vietnamese Garnishes

Description

This recipe comes from the thai city of chai phumi, which has a large vietnamese population. It is one of my favorite summertime specials at saffron, a wonderful thai restaurant in san diego.

Ingredients

• Sea Salt
• Garlic Cloves
• Bird Chiles
• Sugar
• Palm Sugar
• Rice Vinegar
• Fish Sauce
• Vegetable Oil
• Ground Turkey
• Lemongrass
• Madras Curry Powder
• Rice Vermicelli
• Fresh Bean Sprout
• Green Beans
• Fennel Bulb
• Cilantro

Instructions

1. Sauce:
2. In a mortar, with a pestle, pound the sea salt and garlic into a paste
3. Add the chiles and pound to a paste
4. Transfer the mixture to a small mixing bowl and set aside
5. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, palm sugar, vinegar and fish sauce and cook, stirring, over medium low heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes
6. Cool, then add to the pounded paste, mix well and set aside
7. Turkey:
8. In a 12 inch skillet, heat th eoil over high heat for 1-2 minutes or until very hot
9. Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring to separate and crumble the meat, until evenly browned
10. Add the lemongrass, curry powder and sea salt, mix well, and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes
11. Transfer to a serving bowl and cover until ready to serve
12. Noodle nests:
13. In a 6 qt saucepan, bring 5 cups water to a boil
14. Drop the noodeles into the boiling water and stir to separate the strands
15. Let boil vigorously for 2 mintues
16. Drain and rinse with several changes of cold water
17. Then fill saucepan with water and return noodles to pan
18. With your middle or index finger, scoop up a 1 inch bundle of noodles
19. Squeeze out excess water with your other hand
20. Twist the noodles into a figure 8 bundle then fold over to make a circular nest and place on a large serving platter
21. Repeat with rest of noodles
22. To serve:
23. Place a bowl of the chile sauce in the center of a large platter
24. Arrange the nests of noodles on one side and mounds of the bean sprouts, green beans, fennel and cilantro on the other
25. Set a bowl of the turkey topping nearby
26. Have each guest put 3 or 4 nests on his or her plate, top with a couple spoonfuls of turkey, as well as the vegetable garnishes, then drizzle several spoonfuls of the sauce over the noodles, separating an loosening he strands so the noodles absorb the sauce