4 x 22cm sheets rice paper, snipped into 3cm strips
1tbsp dried shrimp (optional), coarsely ground with a mortar and pestle
2tbsp crispy shallots
40g Vietnamese coriander or Thai basil
For the dressing
40g tamarind paste
2tbsp soft brown sugar
2tbsp premium fish sauce
1 small round shallot, finely diced
1 bird’s eye chilli, sliced diagonally
3tbsp roasted peanuts or cashews, roughly chopped
Method
First, make the dressing. Put
the tamarind paste and sugar
in a bowl and pour over 100ml
boiling water. Set aside for
5 minutes, then break up any
chunks of the paste with a
spoon and mix thoroughly.
Pass the mixture through a
sieve then add the fish sauce,
shallot and chilli.
Pour the coconut water into
a pan and bring to the boil,
then add the prawns and swirl
the water around. Cover and
cook for 2-3 minutes until the
prawns are pink and opaque.
Drain and set aside to cool to
room temperature.
Combine the green mango,
beetroot, if using, sugar snap
peas, quail’s eggs, prawns and
strips of rice paper in a large
serving bowl.
Mix 2tbsp of the peanuts or
cashews into the dressing, then
drizzle some of it over the salad,
reserving the rest. Toss until the
rice papers have softened.
Add the dried shrimp, if
using, to the salad, along with
the crispy shallots, herbs and
remaining nuts.
Serve the salad alongside
bowls of the reserved dressing,
for dipping the king prawns
once peeled.
COOK'S NOTE
You can use any variety of
beetroot, but if red, be mindful
of the colour bleeding into the
other ingredients when you
combine them.
RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN FROM QUICK & EASY VIETNAMESE BY UYEN LUU, PHOTOGRAPHY BY UYEN LUU (HARDIE GRANT, £25).
