"It's dietary salad, sir. Doctor McCoy ordered your diet card changed." - DECONSTRUCTED SALAD ROLL

Captain's Log, Stardate -311071.8779807205

Don't get me wrong - we love to make Vietnamese salad rolls - but they are a somewhat involved process and no matter how much you insist, sometimes your stomach just doesn't have the time for your fanciful little cylinders of deliciousness. You stomach demands something immediately (or as close to immediately as possible.) This recipe is perfect for those days. You get the best of the rolls, but less of the frills.

Pickled Vegetables

1 large carrot

1 daikon radish

1/4 c vinegar

1 1/2 c water

1/4 c sugar

In a sauce pan bring water and sugar to a boil so that sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and add vinegar. Warm through so that vinegar remains acidic. 

Meanwhile, peel the carrot and daikon and thinly slice into medallions. Place the vegetables in a medium mason jar (or any jar that contains about 750ml). Pour the pickling liquid into the jar and close it up. It takes two or three days for the pickling liquid to permeate.

Thai Basil Oil

3 c Thai basil

1/2 c vegetable oil

Add basil to blender and a few teaspoons of the oil. While blending slowly add the oil so the mixture emulsifies. We poured the oil into an ice cube tray which makes teaspoon sized cubes and froze it for use later (bottling would also work.)

Deconstructed Salad Roll

1 pkg. vermicelli noodles (the thicker kind works better for this, it's closer to the size of spaghettini)

1 pkg. bean curd jerky (you can get this at most asian grocery stores, any flavour is good)

1/2 cucumber, julienned

1/2 cup pickled vegetables, julienned

1/4 c peanuts

4 tbsp Thai basil oil

3 tbsp hoisin sauce

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp sugar

In a large pot, bring water to a rolling boil. Add the vermicelli and remove from heat. The residual heat will continue to cook the noodles, 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large salad bowl, combine basil oil, hoisin, vinegar, and sugar. Whisk until combined.

If you want to eat the salad cold, allow the vermicelli time to cool or drain and (I know it's a cooking sin but the starch from the noodles isn't a big deal in this recipe) run under cold water. Add the noodles, bean curd, cucumber and vegetables to your dressing mixture. Mix until everything is coated in dressing. Sprinkle peanuts over the salad, serve and eat! We also love to use the sweet chilli spring roll sauce on this salad. It adds another extra bit of sweetness.