Smith & Deli's Larb Salad

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This is an edited extract from Smith & Deli-cious by Shannon Martinez & Mo Wyse. Image Bonnie Savage

Servings 4

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Ingredients

 

• ▢ 4 tbsp Thai sticky rice - or aborio rice
• ▢ 6 tbsp vegetable oil
• ▢ 2 tsp 1 tsp grated ginger
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves - minced
• ▢ 2 lemongrass stalk -white part only, very finely sliced
• ▢ 400 grams soaked TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) or veggie mince
• ▢ 1-2 red bird’s eye chilli - chopped (we like things spicy, so this recipe is quite spicy as it stands, but feel free to omit or even add more)
• ▢ 2 limes - juiced
• ▢ 4 tbsp vegan fish sauce
• ▢ 2 tsp brown or palm sugar
• ▢ 2 tsp  sesame oil
• ▢ 1 tbsp  soy sauce
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ 2 shallots -halved and thinly sliced
• ▢ 4 kaffir lime leaves -finely shredded
• ▢ 1 bunch thai basil
• ▢ 1 bunch mint
• ▢ 1 bunch coriander
• ▢ 2 cups bean sprouts
• ▢ 1 punnet cherry tomatoes - halved
• ▢ 2 tbsp roasted peanuts
• ▢ 2 heads butter lettuce
• ▢ 1 lime - cut into wedges

Instructions

 

• Add the sticky rice to a small, dry frying pan (no oil) and toast over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until dark golden brown. Transfer to a small bowl and leave to cool. Then grind the rice to a fine powder in a mortar and pestle or a blender. Set aside.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, then add the ginger, garlic and lemongrass. Fry for a minute or so until it begins to turn a light golden colour – not dark. Add the TVP and fry until golden brown and crispy. Once crispy, add a heaped tablespoon of the powdered rice to the mixture and stir to coat.
• Stir in the chilli, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce and water. Add the shallot and kaffir lime leaf and stir through, keeping the heat nice and high so they are partly cooked. You want them to be semi-raw and coated in flavour. Remove from the heat.
• In a large bowl, combine herbs, bean sprouts, cherry tomatoes and peanuts, then add the TVP mixture. Check the flavour and, if needed, add the juice of another half a lime. Add an extra teaspoon of rice powder and mix well to ensure everything is coated.
• Arrange the lettuce leaves on a serving dish and pile the larb on top. Serve with lime wedges and extra lettuce leaves.

Tips and Variations

GLUTEN-FREE - use tamari or gf soy

VEGETARIAN