Recipe by Lori Ross  For 1 lb. rice sticks or other long noodle (vermicelli or angel’s hair)

Sauce: 

1 1/3 cups lime juice

1 cup fish sauce (also called seasoning sauce by some manufacturers)

1 cup water

8 tbsps sugar

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic; minced

Garnish:

2 cups diced cucumber

4 scallions, thinly sliced in rounds

2 cup  fresh mint leaves whole

1/2 cup  fresh cilantro chopped

Cook noodles for 5-6 minutes until al dente, drain and chill in ice water. Mix sauce ingredients until sugar dissolves.  Add to noodles and chill. Garnish with cucumbers, scallions, mint and cilantro.  This cold pasta is also delicious topped with sliced raw or cooked vegetables, fruits or shredded chicken or shrimp.  Or use as the base for  “make your own” Lettuce Cups by gently separating lettuce leaves (in cup shape) and making separate mounds of diced cucumber, sliced scallion, mint, cilantro, noodles and a bowl of sauce. Give each person a lettuce leaf cup and they can fill with a tiny bit of each ingredient, drizzle with the sauce and roll up cup into a cylinder to eat.