Crunchy Wombok Salad

The Salad

• 0.25 Wombok (Chinese) cabbage
• 50 g bean shoots
• 1 baby red chilli
• 4 stems spring onions
• 2 sprigs Vietnamese mint
• 3 sprigs holy basil
• 0.5 bunch coriander leaves (use the stalks and roots only in dressing)
• 2 shallots
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 0.5 cup peanuts or cashew nuts

The Dressing

• *Make the dressing ahead of time to allow the flavours to settle
• 0.5 cup plant based Nuttelex
• 0.25 bunch coriander
• 2 limes - zest and juice (keep them separate)
• 5 baby red chillies
• 2 shallots
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 0.5 cup soy sauce
• 1 medium lump honey comb rock sugar (For vegans, sub with Chinese rock sugar)

Dressing

1. Wash the coriander well and spin dry to remove excess water, then pick the leaves and keep separate from the stalks.
2. Roughly chop stalks and roots and combine with stalks from salad coriander
3. Zest the limes.
4. In a small saucepan combine the Nuttelex, honey comb rock sugar, coriander stalks & roots and lime zest and on a low heat stir until Nuttelex and sugar are melted- do not boil.
5. Once melted, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature- do not allow to set.
6. Peel the shallots and cut into a very fine dice and place in a medium bowl.
7. Chop the garlic cloves & baby red chillies together to very fine pieces and add to the shallots in bowl.
8. Juice the limes and strain the juice over the shallots, chilli and garlic.
9. Add the soy sauce.
10. Strain the Nuttelex mixture into the bowl and gently mix together and then add finely chopped coriander leaves and stir through.
11. Note: If the dressing sets after refrigeration, leave at room temperature to restore texture

Salad

1. Wash the coriander well and pick the leaves (use the stalks & roots to make the dressing).
2. Place the bean shoots in a bowl and cover with cold water - refrigerate until refreshed.
3. Remove the roots of the spring onions, wash, dry and thinly slice at angle.
4. Slice the red chilli as fine as you can the same as the spring onions.
5. Cut the Wombok cabbage into slices and place into a shallow salad bowl.
6. Wash and pick the Vietnamese mint leaves and add to the cabbage in bowl.
7. Pick the holy basil leaves and add to the Wombok cabbage.
8. Peel the shallots and slice the same as the spring onions and red chilli (not too thick) and add to bowl.
9. Cut cherry tomatoes into quarters and add to the Wombok cabbage.
10. Strain bean shoots and add to the Wombok cabbage.
11. Add coriander leaves, spring onions & sliced chilli to the Wombok cabbage.
12. Roughly chop the peanuts or cashews and sprinkle on salad.
13. Add some dressing to the salad and gently toss ingredients together.