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.

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.