Served cold, this light side dish is perfect for warm weather. It makes a popular appearance at buffets in Hawaii, where the cuisine is heavily influenced by Asian culture. Glass noodles are traditionally made from mung beans and have a low GI. They are also called “cellophane noodles” because of their transparent appearance when prepared. They should not be confused with rice vermicelli, which remains white in colour after cooking.

PREPARATION: 20 MINUTES, COOKING: 0 MINUTES, SERVES 8

Ingredients:
250 g (9 oz) packet dry mung bean vermicelli (bean thread or glass noodles)
300 g (101⁄2 oz) bean shoots
1⁄4 cup mirin vinegar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin sesame oil
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
1 shallot (scallion), finely chopped
1⁄2 bunch coriander (cilantro), chopped 1 small unpeeled cucumber, seeded, sliced thinly

Method:
1. Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 15 minutes until softened, then place in a strainer to drain and cool. Transfer back to bowl and cut coarsely into 7.5-centimetre (3-inch) lengths with kitchen scissors.
2. In a separate bowl, cover bean shoots with boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain and cool.
3. Prepare dressing by combining vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and chilli in a small glass jar and shaking vigorously. 4. Toss dressing through the noodles, together with bean shoots, shallot, coriander and cucumber slices. For optimal flavour, transfer to a bowl and chill for an hour before serving. Recipe stores well in the fridge for 1–2 days but is unsuitable for freezing.

Per serve: energy 186 kJ (44 Cal); protein 2 g; fat 0 g; saturated fat 0 g; cholesterol 0 mg; carbohydrate 7 g; sugars 1 g; fibre 1 g; calcium 15 mg; iron 0.7 mg; sodium 185 mg