Cold Rice Noodle Salad

1 . Stage

Cook the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook them until they are pliable but still fairly firm inside, about 6 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let the noodles sit in the water until they are cooked through but still chewy, about 2 minutes. If you pull on a noodle, it should stretch quite a bit before it breaks. Drain the noodles, and immediately rinse them in cold running water, massaging them gently to stop the cooking and to remove excess starch, until they are cool to the touch.

2 . Stage

Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables: Trim the roots off the scallions and cut them into 2- to 3-inch-long pieces. Cut them in half lengthwise, then slice them into very thin strips. Put them into a small bowl and cover them with cool water to let their flavor mellow a bit. Peel the carrots and trim off the ends. Cut them into 2- to 3-inch-long pieces, then cut them into thin slices lengthwise, about 1/8-inch thick. This can be done with a mandoline. Cut the slices into thin strips. Remove the stem and seeds from the bell pepper and slice it into long thin strips to match the carrots. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the soft, seed-filled center and discard. Keep the skin on. Slice the cucumber lengthwise into thin strips matching the other vegetables. Pinch off both ends of the snow peas and remove the string that runs along one side. Slice them lengthwise into thin strips.

3 . Stage

Make the dressing: In a small bowl, mix the garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil until the sugar dissolves.

4 . Stage

Assemble and serve the salad: Drain the scallions. In a large bowl, add the drained noodles, scallions, carrot, bell pepper, cucumber, and snow peas. Add the dressing and toss well to evenly coat. Top with the cilantro. Drizzle with the chili oil or serve it on the side.