To go with our Vietnamese-style barbecued beef short ribs, I made a Thai-style pasta salad that was loaded with flavor. I used frozen cheese-filled tortellini, but you could use just about any type of pasta you like. The only thing I will say about this salad is that, as with so many other foods; this will taste just fine immediately after preparing, but…
leftovers the next day?
FAN-frikkin-TASTIC! So, keep that in mind and mebbe plan ahead.
INGREDIENTS
Salad:
•12 oz cheese tortellini, cooked and drained
•1 red pepper, well chopped
•3 scallions, sliced
•1/4 English cucumber, sliced and quartered
•1 carrot, cut into strips
•Sliced radishes
•2 basil leaves, chopped
•Baby spinach
Dressing:
•6 tbsp rice vinegar
•3 tbsp lower sodium soy sauce
•1 tbsp Sherry Peppers Sauce
•1 tbsp Westboroughshire Sauce
(or Worcestershire Sauce)
•Juice of 1/2 lime
•1 tbsp peanut butter
•1 clove garlic, minced
•2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
•1-1/2 tsp sugar
•1/2 tsp Caribbean Calypso Seasoning
(or grated fresh citrus zest)
•1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
•1/4 tsp Aleppo pepper
•3/4 tsp dry mustard
•1/4 tsp Japanese Seven Spice
•1/4 cup sesame oil
First, make the dressing by whisking all of the ingredients, except for the sesame oil, together in a bowl until blended, then whisk in the sesame oil – I used an immersion blender. Set aside.
Prepare your pasta of choice according to package instructions, then drain.
Toss the warm drained pasta with the dressing and set aside to cool on the counter.
Add the red pepper, scallion, English cucumber, carrots, radish, and basil leaves and toss to combine.
Serve at room temperature over baby spinach…
OR…
Chill overnight, toss with leftover cubed Vietnamese barbecue beef short ribs, and really, really enjoy for lunch or dinner the next day.
Mebbe with a tall, cool glass of Vietnamese iced coffee.