vietnamese trout salad

SERVES 3

This fresh salad has it all: vibrant herbs, crunchy vegetables, delicate flakes of trout and a beautiful sweet/sour/spicy dressing to bring it all together. It’s the ultimate light summer meal, and to top it all off you can have it in a bowl and ready to eat in 10 minutes!

1 long red chilli, halved

2 garlic cloves, peeled

20g toasted sesame oil

40g coconut sugar

50g rice wine vinegar

50g fish sauce

1 lime, juice only

½ Chinese cabbage (wombok), cut into 8 pieces

Handful fresh mint,leaves only

Handful fresh Thai basil,leaves only

2 carrots, jullienned

1 cucumber, julienned

300g smoked trout,skin and bonesremoved, flaked(approx. 1 fish)

Fried shallots, to serve

Lime cheeks, to serve

Chilli sauce, to serve (optional)

1   Place chilli and garlic in TC bowl, chop for 3 seconds, speed 6. Scrape down sides.

2   Add oil, sauté for 4 minutes, 100°C, speed 1.

3   Add sugar, vinegar, fish sauce and lime juice, mix for 10 seconds, speed 4. Set aside.

4   Without cleaning TC bowl add half the cabbage, chop for 4 seconds, speed 4. Transfer to a large salad bowl.

5   Add remaining cabbage to TC bowl, chop for 4 seconds, speed 4. Transfer to salad bowl. Add mint, basil, carrot, cucumber, trout and dressing to the salad bowl, toss to combine.

Garnish with fried shallots and serve with lime cheeks and chilli sauce on the side (if using).

NOTE: To keep this salad fresh, dress it just prior to serving. For lunchboxes, pack the dressing separately in a small container.

VARIATION: You can toss through cooked rice vermicelli noodles – they will soak up the delicious dressing and bulk out the salad.