Vietnamese cold noodle salad with chilli & mint dresing

Using last night's leftovers, I made a cold Vietnamese salad.  I arranged the rice noodles, bean shoots, torn mint leaves (from our garden) and chopped chicken on a plate, then made a tasty dressing.  Start with 1/4 cup sweet chilli, then 'layer' those typical Vietnamese ingredients until you have the right flavour.  As a general guide, add to the sweet chilli sauce: 2 tsp sugar, 1 spring each chopped mint and coriander, 1 tbs light soy sauce, 2 tsp fish sauce, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1 small chopped red (de-seeded) chilli, juice from 2 limes or lemons.  Chopped peanuts would have made this dish, but in lieu of those I sprinkled over some sesame seeds which tasted fine.

Home made prawn and chicken rice paper rolls

On those days when I'm in a hurry and happen to run past an asian takeaway, I'll scoff down some rice paper rolls as a healthy and delicious option.  For the first time tonight, my husband and I made our own - and they were just like the ones you buy in the shop (although perhaps not quite as pretty).

Rather than tell you how to make them and what ingredients to use, the best thing is for you to just buy some rice paper wrappers and wing it yourself.  Look in the asian food section of your local supermarket - usually the pack will have some suggestions and folding instructions on the back.  Good luck!