Asian Noodle Salad

You'll love this Asian Noodle Salad, with bold flavors and textures. Based on the Central Asian favorite - Funchoza Salad. Perfect as a light lunch, or as side dish for large gatherings. You'll love these new flavor combinations, tangy and savory, contrasting textures, this recipe is sure to impress.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Versatile - can be served hot, warm or cold, bring it to a pot luck or serve for a dinner party
• Make It Your Own - change the proteins, add your favorite vegetables, fresh or caramelized, you can't go wrong with these flavors
• Nutrious - with all these vegetables, this healthy asian salad has vitamins, nutrients and fibre
• Totally New Flavors - this isn't your typical Asian salad, but is commonly enjoyed in Central Asia. Be the first in your friend circle to try these flavors. Looks like Japchae, but it's not!

Ingredients

• Onions - caramelized for flavor
• Chicken Breasts - sliced into thin strips
• Carrots - peeled and julienned
• Daikon Radish - optional
• Red Bell Pepper
• Raw Shrimp - peeled and deveined
• Garlic Cloves 
• Hot Chili Peppers - optional
• Fresh Cilantro
• Bean Vermicelli Noodles
• Fresh Cilantro
• Noodle Sauce - Soy Sauce, Black Chinese Vinegar and Sesame Oil
• Oils - Vegetable and Sesame Oil

How to Make Asian Noodle Salad

1. Caramelize Onions - heat 3 tablespoons of oil on high heat and cook onions until they become translucent  – approx. 3-4 minutes. 
2. Cook Chicken - add strips of chicken and cook together until the chicken is browned and the onions are caramelised, on medium high heat - approx 8-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Caramelize Carrots - heat 2 tablespoons of oil and cook julienned carrots until soft and caramelized - approx. 8-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. Fry Daikon and Peppers - heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 teaspoon of Sesame Oil. Add sliced Daikon and Red Peppers and cook for approx 3 minutes (still a bit crunchy for texture). Set aside to cool.
5. Stir Fry Shrimp - heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of Sesame Oil. Add minced garlic, chopped chili peppers and garlic chives. Add raw shrimp and cook until the flesh is bright pink and opaque white - approx 5-6 minutes.
6. Prepare Vermicelli - follow package instructions to prepare Bean Vermicelli. Alternatively, bring to a boil for about 4 minutes until they are translucent. Drain, set aside to cool. Using kitchen shears, cut noodles into shorter pieces (around 6″ pieces). Set aside and allow to cool.
7. Toss Together - mix together chicken, onion, carrots, daikon, red peppers, shrimp, cilantro, chilli, garlic chives and vermicelli into the large bowl and mix thoroughly. Wear disposable kitchen gloves to mix, as it's quite oil and messy. 
8. Season with Dressing - mix together ⅓ cup of Soy Sauce with 5 teaspoons Great Wall Black Chinese Vinegar with ½ teaspoon of Sesame Oil. Mix into noodle salad. Taste and adjust flavors as needed. 

Asian Noodle Salad Variations

• Change the Vegetables - add chopped cucumbers, snap peas, baby spinach or bean sprouts
• Vegetarian Salad - skip the chicken and shrimp and go full vegetarian
• Change the Noodles - try rice noodles, soba noodles or even Udon
• Adjust Proteins - switch out the protein with tofu or beef strips
• Spicy Noodle Salad - kick up the spice by adding fresh chopped chili peppers or adding Sriracha Sauce

Recipe Tips and FAQs

• Add Nuts - toast peanuts, pine nuts or sesame seeds and sprinkle before serving
• Rinse Noodles - to prevent noodles clumping together after cooking, rinse with cold water to remove excess starch
• Adjust Crunchy Texture - change the cooking time of the caramelized vegetables for a crispier texture. Keep the onions well caramelized for best flavor
• Use Frozen Shrimp - raw uncooked shrimp is best, and frozen shrimp is economical
• Wear Gloves - when mixing with your hands, wear disposable gloves as the salad is oily
• Squeeze Lime - for a refreshing twist, squeeze juice of a lime before serving

What are Garlic Chives?

Garlic chives (джусай) look like a flat onion chive, but taste more like garlic. You can find them at local farmer's markets or in Chinese grocers. It's a staple herb in Central Asian foods. Substitute with regular green onions if you can't find them.

Can I Make This Salad Ahead of Time?

Yes. Prepare the salad ingredients and the dressing and store them separately in the fridge. Mix everything together just before serving for best texture and flavor.

Black Chinese Vinegar Dressing

The best Chinese Vinegar to use is Great Wall Black Vinegar, made from Sorghum and Millet. This vinegar dressing cuts through the oil from the fried vegetables. The ratio of soy to vinegar is 3:1. Be careful not to over-vinegar, but adjust as per your tastes. Always serve with black vinegar on the table.

Storage

Place in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. Enjoy within 2-3 days.

Salad Recipes You'll Love

• Greek Cucumber Salad - Greek Dinner Party
• Asian Coleslaw
• Imitation Crab Salad
• 7 Bean Salad for Large Parties
• Shrimp Mango Salad
• Olivier Potato Salad
• Funchoza Salad
• Korean Carrot Salad

I think you'll love this yummy Glass Noodle Salad with Chicken and Shrimp, it's worth the effort to make. It's a hearty salad, and can be eaten like a meal, perfect for lunch. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!

©PetersFoodAdventures.com *originally posted May 2015, updated March 2024