With a few pantry staples and just half an hour, you can turn fresh autumn produce into this special Thai salad.
- To prepare rice cake mixture, peel ginger, eschalot and garlic, then roughly chop with chilli and white part of lemongrass. Process in a food processor to a paste, then combine with remaining ingredients in a bowl.
- To make salad, peel ginger and cut into julienne (matchsticks). Squeeze 80ml (1/3 cup) juice from limes. Trim roots and 3cm of stem from coriander and finely chop, then pick 1 cup leaves. Peel, halve and thinly slice eschalots. Cut tomatoes into wedges and cucumber into slices on the diagonal. Separate lettuce leaves. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over high heat. Add mince, ginger and coriander roots, then crush over garlic. Stir, breaking up mince with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until mince is cooked. Remove from heat. Stir in lime juice, fish sauce and chilli flakes.
- To make rice cake, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a 25cm frying pan over medium heat. Pour rice mixture into pan, flatten into a 20cm pancake, then fry for 2 minutes or until golden underneath. Using a spatula, cut into quarters in pan. Flip quarters and fry for a further 2 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towel.
- Stir coriander leaves, eschalots and peanuts into mince mixture. Divide among plates with rice cake. Serve with tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce.
You may need it
Store Spice Organizer
Surface Utensil Holder
Cutting Board Set