Name: Burmese-Style Sesame Oil Vermicelli Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Burmese
Ingredients: 200 g wheat vermicelli; 3 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds; 4 tablespoons cold-pressed sesame oil; 2 shallots, thinly sliced and fried crisp; 150 g cabbage, shredded; 3 tablespoons lime juice; 2 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce; 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, to taste; 40 g roasted peanuts, crushed

Before you cook

Burmese salads are traditionally mixed by hand, massaging the ingredients rather than stirring them with a spoon. That method genuinely coats every strand better than tossing does.

Balance sour, salty and a little sweet against each other by taste at the end, since noodle thickness and lime sharpness vary too much for a fixed measure.

Method

Boil the vermicelli until just tender, then drain and rinse cold.
Toss with a tablespoon of the sesame oil to keep the strands separate.
Fry the sliced shallots slowly in a little oil until crisp and golden.
Drain the fried shallots on paper and reserve the flavoured oil.
Combine the noodles, cabbage and half the peanuts in a wide bowl.
Add the lime juice, fish sauce, remaining sesame oil and chilli flakes.
Use clean hands to massage everything together for a full minute.
Taste and adjust the lime, salt and chilli until the balance feels right.
Pile onto plates and scatter the crisp shallots and remaining peanuts over.
Finish with the roasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

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