Spinach and glass noodles salad 粉絲菠菜塔

Here is another Sichuan style salad with spinach and glass noodles, eaten warm or cold.

Simple and refreshing vegetarian. Moulding with a cup makes a nice presentation as a starter.

This recipe is enough for 2.

Ingredients:

40 -45g glass noodles or bean thread or fun see
300g spinach (better use young spinach with stalks), very cheap from Asian or Chinese supermarket

1 tbsp grated ginger
1.5 tbsp sesame oil

dressing:
1.5 tbsp Chinkiang black rice vinegar
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
few drops of chilli oil
0.5 tsp chicken or vegetable stock granules or powder (optional)
3 tbsp water

garnish:
a little grated ginger
a little chopped chilli

Method:

1. Soak glass noodles then blanch in boiling water briefly till softened. Drain and cut with scissors into shorter length.
   
2. Blanch spinach till wilted. Drain and lightly squeeze to release water. Cut into shorter length if necessary.
3. Mix spinach and noodles with ginger and sesame oil.
4. Stack all in one bowl or individual bowl. For a nicer presentation, mould with a cup first. I used a yogurt cup as mould.
   
5. Pour the dressing on and sprinkle with a bit more ginger and chopped chilli.7

Glass noodles. I always buy the LungKow brand, with two red dragons logo.
Various packings. These are what I got in my cupboard now. One large, one multipack (as opened) and one individual wrapped multipack. For this recipe I used just one small bundle.