8 ounces dried rice noodles, cooked al dente and rinsed under cold water

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce

¼ pound snow peas, trimmed and cut on the diagonal

1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips

1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 recipe Spicy Thai Dressing (see recipe on page 28)

10 basil leaves, shredded (preferably Thai or lemon)

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 cup bean sprouts

1 lime, cut into 6–8 wedges

½ cup toasted peanuts, chopped

• In a large bowl, toss the noodles with the oils and the soy sauce.

• Blanch the snow peas in boiling water for 30 seconds and then rinse them under cold water.

• Add the snow peas, bell pepper, and the carrot to the noodles and toss.

• Drizzle the Spicy Thai Dressing over the noodle mixture to taste, add the basil, half of the green onions, and half of the bean sprouts, and toss well.

• To serve, place the noodle salad on a chilled serving platter. Scatter the remaining green onions, remaining bean sprouts, and the peanuts over the top. Squeeze the juice of 2 lime wedges over the whole dish, and use the remaining wedges as garnish. Serve immediately.