Don’t be fooled by the colours – the red nam prik ong is sweet and comforting and the green nam prik nam is FIERY AND HOT!
PRAWN & SHIITAKE LETTUCE CUPS
MAKES 8
Fresh seafood teamed with veg crunch, these are quick and easy entertainers.
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 tbs vegetable oil
12 (450g total) medium green prawns, peeled, deveined, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
4 long green shallots, thinly sliced diagonally
¼ cup (50g) water chestnuts, finely chopped
8 large iceberg lettuce leaves, trimmed to form cups
Coriander leaves, to serve
DRESSING
50ml light soy sauce
1 tbs Chinese rice wine (shaohsing)
3 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
Soak dried shiitake in a small bowl of warm water for 10 minutes to soften. Drain well, discard stems, then finely chop.
For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a small jug and set aside.
Place a wok over high heat until hot. Add the oil and prawns. Stir-fry for 1 minute or until just cooked. Add onion, shallot, chopped shiitake and water chestnut. Stir-fry for 3 minutes or until onion is cooked through and aromatic.
Remove wok from heat. Add the dressing and stir to coat.
Divide mixture among lettuce cups and top with coriander leaves, to serve
BROCCOLINI WITH KIMCHI DRESSING
SERVES 6-8 (AS A SIDE)
The dressing uses traditional kimchi flavourings. It’s also great drizzled over steamed fish, roasted eggplant and grilled mushrooms.
4 bunches broccolini, trimmed, thick stems halved lengthways
¼ cup (60ml) vegetable oil
1 long green shallot, thinly sliced diagonally
KIMCHI DRESSING
100ml rice wine vinegar
2 tsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)
50ml soy sauce
1 tbs sesame oil
5cm piece fresh ginger (25g), finely grated
3 tsp caster sugar
For the kimchi dressing, combine all ingredients in a jug and stir until sugar dissolves. Season with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside until required.
Working in batches, blanch broccolini in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 30 seconds, then refresh in iced water. Drain well, then place in a large bowl with the oil. Toss to combine and coat well.
Heat a large chargrill pan over high heat. Chargrill broccolini, in batches, turning occasionally, for 5 minutes or until just tender and charred. Transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle over kimchi dressing. Scatter with shallot, to serve.
This pretty-as-a-picture salad packs a serious FLAVOUR PUNCH. It’s a must for your next summer barbecue.
BABY SQUID & RUBY GRAPEFRUIT SALAD WITH RED CHILLI DRESSING
SERVES 4 (AS A STARTER)
300g baby squid, cleaned and scored
2 ruby grapefruit, segmented
3 Asian (red) eschalots (substitute regular eschalots), thinly sliced
2 lemongrass stalks (inner core only), thinly sliced
3 long green shallots, thinly sliced
1 cup each coriander and mint leaves
Fried garlic, to serve
RED CHILLI DRESSING
3 coriander roots, washed
3 garlic cloves
2 long red chillies, seeds removed, chopped
2½ tbs white sugar
2 tbs each fish sauce and lime juice
For the dressing, using a mortar and pestle, pound coriander root, garlic and chilli with a large pinch of salt flakes until a fine paste. Transfer to a jar. Add remaining ingredients. Seal and shake until sugar dissolves. Check seasoning; it should be sweet,
