Mackerel noodle salad

When I was a student I'd make this dish with my best friend.  We used to serve it up in a giant mixing bowl, sit side by side and eat the lot between us, forkfuls at a time.  There's just something incredibly satisfying about this dish, so light and beautifully flavoured.  It's also cheap and simple to make (which may explain why it became a staple back then).

I often make it now when I'm in the flat alone and slurp the noodles in a disgustingly childish way, it always makes me smile.  I tend to make double the amount I need in the hopes that I'll save it for the next day, however more often than not I'll eat the lot in a sitting.  Here's the recipe with slightly imprecise measurements, I assure you that it won't go wrong!

Mackerel noodle salad

Serves 1

Enough rice noodles for a healthy helping
1/4 of a cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks
1-2 spring onions
1 large fillet of smoked mackerel

Dressing
1 tbs rice wine vinegar
1 tbs olive oil
a splash of soy sauce

How to make it:

1. Cook the rice noodles according to packet instructions until tender (make sure not to overcook as they can get claggy).  Once cooked, tip the rice noodles into a sieve to drain the water.  Pour cold water over the noodles, lifting the noodles with your fingertips, until they've cooled down.  Make sure any excess water is drained and put the noodles in a mixing bowl. 
2. Take the skin off the mackerel and discard.  Flake the remaining mackerel with a fork - throw this into the mixing bowl. Cut the spring onions (I just use a pair of scissors and cut them finely) making sure to only use the green ends, add to the bowl.  Finally, chuck in the cucumber. 
3. Add all the ingredients for the dressing into the bowl too.
4. Mix well with a spoon and season with pepper (you don't need salt because you've used soy sauce).
5. Put on a plate and be happy that you've made something super tasty and have barely lifted a finger. 

A word of caution - rice noodles can go quite hard if you leave them out, so if you want to save this dish for the next day make sure to store in an airtight container in the fridge.