When I was in Thailand the flavour that struck me the most were the combination of fresh lime, chilli, fish sauce and coriander. A fresh tasting saltiness with a clean chilli sting that is so refreshing. This combination with crunchy fresh vegetables makes for a meal that is not only a feast of textures, it screams healthy. This salad is ideal for a light summer lunch or as the filling for a rice paper wrap. I also often use this dressing on fresh seared tuna too. The vegetables are a bit of a pain because you have to julienne everything, but a julienne peeler is a fabulous cheat to help get it done quickly. You can get them from most good specialist kitchen shops, or try www.yuppiechef.co.za, they definitely will have one!
serves 2
ingredients:
For the dressing:
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ red chilli, seeded and chopped
2cm ginger, grated
a handful of coriander, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon thai fish sauce
4 tablespoons canola oil
For the salad:
50g rice noodles, soaked in boiling water
A handful of fresh coriander leaves
A handful of fresh mint leaves
50g toasted cashew nuts, roughly chopped
30g mange tout, julienne
30g bean sprouts
30g cucumber, julienne
30g carrot, julienne
A few halved cherry tomatoes
100g beef fillet, seared and sliced very thinly
Some black sesame seeds for garnish
method:
• For the dressing: whisk together all the ingredients. It should be tangy and refreshing dressing with a chilli zing. Add a little more lime juice if it isn’t tangy enough.
• For the salad: in a bowl, toss all the ingredients in the dressing until everything is well coated. Serve immediately with a wedge of fresh lime.
