Sunday Recipe: Mung Bean Thread Salad

It’s been a fun week filled with parties, potlucks and parades celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year. I loaded up on Chinese groceries and made this salad using traditional New Year’s noodles. 

Eating these very long noodles guarantees long life. Happy New Year!

Recipe:

• 2 (1.8 ounce) packages mung bean threads
• 1 1/2 cups fresh mung bean sprouts
• 1/2 large red or yellow bell pepper, cut into thin, long strips
• 1 European (seedless) cucumber cut into strips
• 2 scallions, cut into small pieces
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts

Dressing:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp tamari
• 4 tsp brown rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp oriental sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 garlic clove, crushed

Place mung bean treads in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak 5 – 15 minutes, just until they are a pleasant texture. Drain and rinse in cold water.

Wisk all dressing ingredients together until well combined.

Spread the bean threads out on a serving platter. Top with all the veggies. Pour the dressing over the top and then sprinkle with peanuts.