Crisp starfruit and asparagus salad with sweet Chinese sausages

Name: Crisp starfruit and asparagus salad with sweet Chinese sausages
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: Makes 10 cocktail portions or serves 4
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 dried sweet Chinese sausages (lap cheong) (see note); 3 cups (750 ml) water; 1 starfruit (about 4 oz/125 g) or carambola, trimmed and thinly sliced; 1 starfruit (about 4 oz/125 g) or carambola, trimmed and thinly sliced; 3 tablespoons fish sauce; 2 tablespoons lime juice; 2 fresh large or 4 medium asparagus spears (about 4 oz/125 g), thick bottom one third removed and discarded; 4 long beans, cut into 2-in (5-cm) lengths; Ice water; 1 cup (50 g) fresh bean sprouts, heads and tails removed; 2 bird’s-eye chilies, deseeded and minced (optional); 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 teaspoon Chinese sweet plum powder or plum sauce; 1 teaspoon Chinese sweet plum powder or plum sauce; 10 Vietnamese mint leaves (rau ram) or laksa leaves (polygonum), sliced (see note)

Preparation info

Makes 10 cocktail portions or serves
4

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
20 min

Appears in

Asian Tapas

By Christophe Megel and Anton Kilayko

Published 2010

About

Liberal use of herbs, raw or blanched vegetables, and sour fruits such as the starfruit (carambola) featured in this dish, are hallmarks of Vietnamese-style cookery. Fish sauce, lime and sugar also mark this dish as Vietnamese in its inspiration as does the overall result, which is light, pretty and fresh-flavored. If starfruit is not available, try this recipe with crisp green apple slices.

Ingredients

Asia
Vietnam

Ingredients

Method