Steamwharf Road Pinot Gris 2016

Step-by-step Thai salad

Ingredients

• 15g dried wood-ear fungus
• 15g dried shrimps
• 100g mung bean noodles
• 500g small green prawns
• 2 small chicken breasts
• 2 Lebanese cucumbers
• 1/4 Chinese cabbage
• 3 shallots
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 1/2 bunch coriander
• 1/3 cup Thai basil leaves
• 1/2 cup (75g) raw peanuts with skins, roasted
• Dressing:
• 2 red birdseye chillies
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 coriander roots, washed
• 1 1/2 tbs grated palm sugar
• 1/4 cup (60ml) fish sauce
• 1/3 cup (80ml) lime juice

Directions

1. For dressing, cut chillies in half lengthways. Using a small spoon, scrape out seeds and discard. Place chilli halves, garlic and coriander roots in a mortar and, using a pestle, pound to a fine paste. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Stir in fish sauce and lime juice until well combined. Taste and adjust flavour with either more sugar, fish sauce or lime juice, then transfer to a bowl.
2. Soak fungus, shrimps and noodles in bowls of warm water for 30 minutes, then drain. Slice fungus, chop shrimps and cut noodles into 10cm lengths. Peel raw prawns, discarding heads and tails. Halve horizontally, remove veins, cook in boiling water for 2 minutes or until just changed in colour. Drain and cool. Cook chicken in gently simmering water for 10 minutes. Drain, cool and slice thinly.
3. Cut cucumbers in half lengthways, discard seeds, thinly slice diagonally. Thinly slice cabbage, shallots and white part only of lemongrass. Remove leaves from coriander then finely chop stems. To serve, place cucumber, cabbage, shallot, lemongrass and chopped coriander stems in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss gently to combine. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Serve.