It must be almost a decade ago, Annalise Braakensiek invited me for lunch at her home in Bondi. It was a memorable lunch and sadly the last time I saw her.

Annalise had a heart of gold and she loved cooking, so on this day she served up a delicious Asian Vermicelli Noodle Salad Recipe. She told me she especially loved this dish…”It is one of my all time favourite salads,” she said.

Annalise is no longer with us but her fabulous recipe lives on. 

“I learnt this recipe whilst travelling in Thailand when I was 20, but gave it the Love Lunch twist,” said Annalise, who has sadly passed away since. “My version has all the taste and no guilt… No sugar, MSG, GMO’s or gluten, and way more green veggies”.

Indeed it’s light, fragrant yet filling, and as with everything she cooked, it was very healthy and nutritious. My friend advised me it’s ideal served at room temperature just after making it, and due to being vegan it can withstand being left out at parties and picnics without worrying about it going off.

You can also refrigerate it and eat it cold for up to two days (however I’d recommend keeping the dressing separate if you intend to eat it a day or two later, as noodles go soggier with each day if dressed unless you’re using the kelp noodles, they are more durable than rice or bean vermicelli ) I’ve recently started to make it with carb free kelp noodles, and I’m seriously crushing on it big time!

So much so, I felt compelled to share this special recipe with you all.

I hope you enjoy it as much as me, my friends and family do. Happy cooking!

Asian Vermicelli Noodle Salad Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 large packet bean vermicelli noodles*
• 1 bunch gailan
• 1 bunch choy sum
• 1 bunch bok choy
• 1 bag bean sprouts
• 6 Asian baby corn, sliced in half lengthways
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 140g water chestnuts, washed and drained well and finely sliced
• 1/2 cup coriander, plucked
• 1 large red chilli de-seeded, julienned
• 3 Tbsp black plum vinegar
• Home-made satay sauce (or Jimmy Satay Sauce for easy version) to marinate tofu
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• Sprinkle fried shallots, to serve

• 1 Tbsp sesame oil*
• 1 Tbsp mirin
• 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Splash of tamari, to taste

To serve:

• Sprinkle of fried shallots
• Lime cheeks
• Sprinkle of coriander leaves

How to:

Blanch noodles til al dente, drain in cold water and set aside. Be sure they are drained very well. Crush ginger, garlic and add sesame oil, white pepper, mirin, rice wine vinegar and tamari into a medium sized serving/mixing bowl and stir well.

Add water chestnuts, stir well and set aside. Add steamed Asian greens, Asian corn, carrot, fresh chilli, coriander, marinated tofu and stir well being mindful not to break the veggies and tofu when stirring. Add noodles in and mix evenly just before serving.

To serve:

Mix ingredients together, plate up with fresh coriander sprigs, a few lime cheeks, a sprinkle of fried shallots and lots of love.

* Recipe Notes:

For more delicious recipes, read these nutrition tips, here.

More about Annalise Braakensiek

Australian model and actress Annalise Braakensiek tragically passed away on January 6, 2019, at the age of 46.

Braakensiek was a prominent figure in the Australian entertainment industry, known for her roles in Home and Away and Fat Pizza. She was also a passionate advocate for mental health, serving as an ambassador for the suicide prevention charity R U OK? Her death highlighted the importance of mental health awareness and support.

A memorial service was held in her honor at Bondi Beach, attended by family, friends, and fans who remembered her for her kindness, beauty, and advocacy work.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, support is available. In Australia, you can contact Lifeline at 13 11 14 for confidential crisis support.