VIETNAMESE SHRIMP NOODLE SALADfeatured

Next to church, fishing is probably the second most sacred thing in my family. Fly fishing, deep sea fishing, whatever fishing… if you are a Johnson, it’s in your blood. Growing up, fishing was more of a thing between my Dad and my brother. Which was fine. I was far more interested in glitter, tutus and twirling. But I did love watching my Dad sit for hours and tie flies. And occasionally he would let me help. And I loved it.

When he wasn’t looking, I would rifle through his tackle box. I’m not sure when I discovered that he had a hot pink, fuzzy lure, but as soon as I did, the idea of fishing got a lot more interesting. It looked like a neon pom pom with a hook in it. This. Was. AWESOME. I asked my Dad if he would take me fishing; I’m sure he was completely surprised. I usually only asked to be taken to the Dairy Queen. He was totally game. So we hitched up the boat and drove out to Lake Minitare. Just the two of us.

As soon as the boat was safely in the water and we found what seemed like a good spot to cast our lines, Dad pulled out a little fishing pole just my size and proceeded to pick out a good lure for me to use. I saw the pink lure in the tackle box. Please pink the pink lure. Please pick the pink lure. But no, Dad selected a regular, blah colored whatever lure and tied it to my line. I remember shyly asking if possibly, maybe, if it was okay could I use the pink lure instead? Dad, being the wise fisherman, told me he didn’t think it was a good idea. A lure like that doesn’t really catch fish. A little disappointed, I cast my line in the water and waited to catch a big fish figuring that Dad knew best. An hour went by. Maybe two. Nothing. Dad tried a few different lures on my line. Nothing. Not even a nibble. Turns out, he wasn’t having any luck either. As the day wore on and we were about to call it quits, I asked one more time if I could try the pink lure. Dad sighed and said why not. He opened the box, pulled it out and tied it on. The pink fuzzy pom pom looked good at the end of my rod. I tossed in my line. Within one minute I felt a tug. And then it tugged again. I had a fish on my line! I caught my first fish! Even at that age I knew the sweet sweet feeling of vindication. I KNEW the pink lure would not let me down. And I was right. Victory tasted like beer battered fish later that night. And it tasted goooooood.

With all of the fishing my family does, we obviously love all things seafood. Fish, clams, oysters, shrimp.. it’s all a big yes regardless if it’s caught on a fancy hand tied fly or a cheap hot pink fuzzy lure…

This recipe is very flexible. You can add more or less of things depending on your preference. If you like more or less dressing, adjust accordingly, etc.

Recipe: Vietnamese Shrimp Noodle Salad  |  Soundtrack: Creedence Clearwater Revival

• 1 16oz package of bean noodles or pad thai noodles
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 large shallot thinly sliced
• 1 lb uncooked shrimp
• 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• ½ cup fish sauce
• ½ cup rice vinegar
• 3 tsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 ½ tbsp honey
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 serrano pepper sliced thinly or 1 ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, depending on how hot you like it, adjust accordingly
• Add more or less of the below ingredients depending on personal taste
• 1 cucumber, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 2-3 carrots, julienned
• 1 cup cilantro, chopped
• ½ cup fresh mint, chopped
• ¾ cup roasted peanuts
• Lime wedges to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles according to package. Using a colander, drain and rinse noodles. Set aside.
2. In a sauté pan over medium heat, place the coconut oil and sliced shallots. Saute until the shallots begin to turn brown. Remove shallots from pan and add shrimp. Cook shrimp until they become pink, approximately 3-5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Using a microplane, grate the fresh ginger.
4. In a small bowl, combine fresh ginger, fish sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, honey, lime juice and red pepper flakes if you are using those instead of the serrano pepper. Whisk to combine.
5. In a small pan over medium heat add the peanuts and cook until slightly browned and roasted. Remove from pan and chop.
6. In a large bowl, combine the green onions, cucumber, carrots, bell pepper and noodles. Toss to combine. Add the cilantro, mint and shallots. Top with the shrimp and the peanuts.
7. Add the dressing when you are ready to serve the salad. Toss everything together until well combined.
8. Serve with lime wedges.

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