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!
Crikey Jo it’s like buses….. But welcome buses as have missed your emails coming through over the summer. X
I know, crazy, you can tell the little people are back at school! All the time to play with, hence why I’ve started cooking ‘seriously’ again!
Sounds and looks delicious – just up what I love. Perfect for a boiling hot 1st October day! A xx
I know, roll on more of these.