Five-Spice Tofu, Bamboo and Water Chestnut Salad

Name: Five-Spice Tofu, Bamboo and Water Chestnut Salad
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon Pickled Carrot Strips; 4 large cloud-ear fungus, shredded; 40 ml vegetable oil; 2 tablespoons Pickled Cucumber; 1 teaspoon sea salt; 100 g pressed tofu, cut into thin slices; 2 teaspoons Vietnamese five-spice Mix; 4 tablespoons shredded Asian or Thai basil leaves; 4 tablespoons shredded Asian or Thai basil leaves; 4 tablespoons coriander leaves; 4 green onions, finely sliced on the diagonal; 8 fresh water chestnuts, sliced into fine rounds; 1 long red chilli, finely sliced; 1 coconut palm heart, finely sliced; 4 tablespoons finely sliced bamboo shoots; 25 ml sunflower oil; ½ teaspoon chilli oil; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 50 ml Chinese black vinegar; 50 ml light soy sauce; 3 teaspoons white sesame seeds, roasted; 4 Chinese cabbage (wombok) leaves, shredded; 4 tablespoons shredded Vietnamese mint leaves

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Fire

By Christine Manfield

Published 2008

About

I created this salad as one of the tastes on our restaurant’s vegetarian menu – it’s a great interplay between crunchy and silky soft textures. Make it when fresh water chestnuts are in season to get the best results. If they are unavailable, yam bean can be used instead as it has a similar texture and delicate taste.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons Vietnamese five-spice Mix
1 teaspoon sea salt
100

Asia
Vietnam
Fish course
Pescatarian
Southeast Asia

Method

Mix the five-spice mix with the salt, then use half the mixture to dust the pressed tofu. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the tofu for a couple of minutes until crisp. Drain on paper towel.

Place the spiced tofu and all the remaining salad ingredients (except the sesame seeds) in a bowl and gently mix together.

To make the dressing, mix all the ingredients together, then to