Name: Goi Ga (Vietnamese chicken salad)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
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.

Goi Ga (Vietnamese chicken salad)

The mortar and pestle will be your new bestie, drawing out the fragrant Asian flavours in this herb-packed dish.

Serves 4

Prep

15M

Cook

Total

20M

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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.

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Ingredients

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