Goi Ga (Vietnamese chicken salad)
Ingredients
• 4 eschalots, peeled
• 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only
• 2 small red chillies, chopped
• 6 black peppercorns
• 8 cloves garlic
• 8cm-long piece ginger
• 600g skinless chicken thigh fillets, diced
• 1 pomelo*, segmented, torn
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1 bunch red shiso leaves*
• ½ bunch mint, leaves picked
• ½ bunch Vietnamese mint*, leaves picked
• ½ bunch Thai basil*, leaves picked
• 1 Tbsp dark palm sugar
• 3 small green chillies, finely chopped
• ¼ cup durian*
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp peanut oil
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• ½ cup fresh coconut, coarsely grated
Cook's tips
* If you can’t find pomelo, use ruby red grapefruit.
* Salad leaves can be substituted for shiso.
* Find Vietnamese mint and Thai basil at Asian grocers.
* Find canned and fresh durian at Asian grocers.
Method
-
Use a mortar and pestle to pound eschalots, lemongrass, red chillies, peppercorns, 5 of the garlic cloves and ½ of the ginger until a paste forms. Alternately, put in small bowl of a food processor and pulse. Put chicken thigh pieces in a medium bowl and add paste. Toss well to coat and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
-
Slice remaining ginger into fine batons. Put in a large bowl with pomelo, sprouts, shiso and herbs.
-
Use a mortar and pestle to pound palm sugar, green chillies, durian and remaining garlic until a paste forms. Stir in lime juice, fish sauce and ½ the peanut oil until well combined.
-
Heat sesame oil and remaining peanut oil in a wok over a high heat. Add chicken, tossing, for about 5 minutes or until browned and cooked through.
-
Drizzle ½ of the dressing over salad and toss. Fold in chicken, then arrange in bowls with a scattering of coconut. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.
