Banh Sitt Rice Noodle Salad with Nuoc Cham Dressing

Ingredients:

• 255g dry rice noodles or 450g fresh banh noodles
• 8 shredded romaine lettuce leaves (stems removed)
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced ​​into halves
• 12 large mint leaves, shredded
• Nuoc cham sauce as a dressing (see recipe below)

Nuoc Cham Fish Sauce:

• 5 tablespoons of sugar
• 3 tablespoons of water
• 1/3 cup fish sauce
• 1/2 cup lime or lemon juice
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
• 1 (or more) Thai bird's eye chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 shallot, peeled, thinly sliced ​​and washed (optional)

Preparation:

1. If using dry rice noodles, place them in a bowl and cover with warm water. Let them sit until the noodles are pliable, about 20 minutes. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Drain the noodles and divide them into 4 equal portions. Place one portion at a time in a sieve and drop them into the boiling water. Use chopsticks to fluff the noodles and cook until soft but still firm, about 3 seconds.
2. Remove the strainer, drain the water, and place the noodles in a large bowl. Repeat until you have 4 individual servings. If you're using fresh ban noodles, there's no need to boil them.
   
   Divide the pasta into 4 bowls. Top each with some lettuce, carrots, cucumber, and mint. Pour the Nuoc Cham seafood sauce over the top and toss well.
   
   In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, water, fish sauce, and lime juice until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the garlic, chili pepper, and shallot. Let sit for 30 minutes before serving.