This is my all time favorite concoction of raw, crunchy vegetables, seriously fragrant herbs, delicate little shrimps, zesty lime and hot chilli. I have created so many variations of this salad that it almost feels wrong writing a recipe for it. It’s contents are usually dictated as to what’s in my fridge as opposed to anything else, so probably should be called ‘lottery in the larder’ salad? I suppose it is a ‘Thai’ salad though the dressing is distinctly Vietnamese, frankly I’m not sure either country would lay claim to it but for my naive Western palette it really hits the spot. I made it earlier this week for a sneaky mummy lunch and have been asked several times for the recipe, so here goes. Don’t feel too tied to it  – you can certainly go a little off piste (within reason)!

Hot Spicy Shrimp Salad

Serves 2

1/2 mango (ideally really quite hard) sliced into match sticks

2 organic carrots – julliened

6 mixed radishes – passed through a mandolin

1 large handful of fresh mint leaves

1 large handful of fresh coriander leaves

1/2 organic savoy cabbage shredded

6 runner beans – blanched and julienned ( you could use sugar snaps, fine beans I just happen to have a glut in my garden)

Red chilli – sliced very finely – quantity is up to you. I used one of my own home grown ones which was extremely feisty. They do vary in heat so do test before it goes in.

1 tablespoons of sesame seeds lightly toasted

100g  of brown peeled shrimps

Dressing

1 tbsp of thai fish sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 lime – juice of  – (microplane the zest over the salad separately)

1/2 garlic clove grated on the microplane

1.5 tbsp of palm sugar or white sugar

Place all the vegetables, herbs, sesame seeds, chilli and shrimps in a large bowl, toss together lightly. Mix all the dressing ingredients together, add more lime if you need it or a little more sugar depending on your desired taste. Add the dressing, toss again. Place in a serving dish and consume fast!