1. For the rice vermicelli,place the noodles in a heatproof bowl and cover with freshly boiled water. Stand for 5 minutes,then rinse under cold running water until completely cool. Drain.
2. Peel the cucumber to give it a striped appearance,halve it lengthways,then cut into thin crescents on a sharp diagonal.For the nuoc cham,mix the citrus juice and vinegar and add the sugar a teaspoon at a time,tasting the mixture as you go until it becomes a pleasant balance of sweet and sour. Add the fish sauce a little at a time,again tasting as you go,until the dressing is savoury and a little on the salty side. Stir through the chilli and garlic.
3. Serve the noodles with the cucumber,herbs,lettuce,peanuts (if using) and nuoc cham.
Tip: These noodles make a fantastic picnic dish. Pack the cooked noodles in the base of a container and top withcooked turmeric fish, spring onions and dill,then pack the herbs,peanuts,cucumber,lettuce and a jar of nuoc cham dressing in a separate container.
Find more of Adam Liaw's recipes in theGood Food Favourite Recipes cookbook.