It's time to share my favourite salad recipe. (My other favourite salad is here.) I've promised to give this to so many friends! I'm pretty sure you'll love it.
When I made it the first time, my teenager said, 'Is this a Janet recipe?' The truth is, my friend Janet is the source of all good food at my place (& a lot of wisdom). And yes, this one is hers. I've simplified it a little because -- well -- I'm lazy.
The reason it's so delicious is this: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. If you mix all those flavours in one dish = tastebud heaven. You'll see.
What you need:
- 2 mangoes or a papaya
- green beans
- cherry (or grape) tomatoes
- red onion
- fresh coriander (cilantro in Canada), basil and mint
- 2 chicken breasts
- fish sauce, lemongrass paste, brown sugar, lime juice, chili flakes, kaffir lime leaves
- tin of coconut milk
Method:
Poach the chicken in the coconut milk. Drain, shred and let cool.
Add the veg and fruit to the salad bowl:
- 1 cup each of chopped basil, coriander and mint leaves (or more if you like)
- lightly steamed and cooled green beans
- punnet of sliced tomatoes
- medium chopped red onion
- 1/2 papaya or 2 mangoes, chopped
Whisk the dressing:
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon grass paste (a tube from the herb section because life is too short to mash lemongrass stalks)
- 2 kaffir lime leaves, chopped (from your tree or borrow from mine!)
- sprinkle of red chilli flakes
Add shredded chicken to the salad and pour over the dressing. Mix tenderly.
Happy Spring!
