FOR THE SALAD
8 ounces dried rice noodles (pad Thai/linguine width)
Handful mixed fresh herbs, such as basil, cilantro and mint
6 to 8 ounces cooked meat, use seitan chicken
2 ounces shredded/matchstick-cut carrot (see headnote; may substitute 1 medium carrot, scrubbed and shredded)
2 cups shredded cabbage, preferably Napa (see headnote; may substitute 3 or 4 Napa cabbage leaves, very thinly sliced)
4 ounces sliced cucumber (see headnote; may substitute 1/2 cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced)
1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts, for garnish

FOR THE DRESSING
1 or 2 limes
1 medium clove garlic
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 to 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
6 to 8 tablespoons water
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

For the salad: Lay a clean dish towel on the counter.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and wait for 1 minute before stirring to separate them. Cook for about 3 minutes; the noodles need to be just tender but not mushy. Drain in a colander, then immediately dump the noodles onto the dish towel, separating them from each other as much as possible

Meanwhile, make the dressing: Squeeze the juice of the lime(s) — enough to yield 3 tablespoons — into a small bowl. Mince the garlic and add it to the bowl, along with the fish sauce, brown sugar (to taste), water (as needed) and crushed red pepper flakes.

Coarsely chop or tear the herb leaves. Tear the cooked meat into bite-size pieces and arrange on a platter, along with the herbs, carrot, cabbage and cucumber. Arrange the noodles on the platter; drizzle with a few spoonfuls of the dressing.

Coarsely chop the peanuts, then scatter them over the salad components.

Seat the bowl of dressing in or alongside the platter. Let everyone at the table help themselves. 2-3 servings

Adapted from Wizenberg’s “Delancey: A Man, a Woman, a Restaurant, a Marriage”