Nonya Prawn Salad with Sweet and Sour Dressing

Name: Nonya Prawn Salad with Sweet and Sour Dressing
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Malaysia
Ingredients: 1 head soft-leaf lettuce, torn into shreds (optional); 1 head soft-leaf lettuce, torn into shreds (optional); 1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks; 125 g (4 oz) daikon radish, cut into matchsticks; 1 medium cucumber, halved lengthwise, deseeded and thinly sliced; 1 starfruit or green apple, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced; 1 starfruit or green apple, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced; 2 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges; 250 g (8 oz) medium fresh prawns, poached for 1 minute, then peeled and deveined; Fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), to garnish; Fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), to garnish; Fried Shallots, to garnish; Keropok (deep-fried prawn crackers), to garnish (optional); Keropok (deep-fried prawn crackers), to garnish (optional); Fried peanuts, skins removed and coarsely ground, to garnish (optional); 7-10 red chillies, deseeded and sliced; 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised; ½ cup (125 ml) Chinese plum sauce or ½ cup (125 ml) tamarind juice (from 2 heaped tablespoons tamarind pulp mashed with ¼ cup (60 ml) water and strained) mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar; ½ cup (125 ml) Chinese plum sauce or ½ cup (125 ml) tamarind juice (from 2 heaped tablespoons tamarind pulp mashed with ¼ cup (60 ml) water and strained) mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar; ½ cup (125 ml) Chinese plum sauce or ½ cup (125 ml) tamarind juice (from 2 heaped tablespoons tamarind pulp mashed with ¼ cup (60 ml) water and strained) mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar; ½ cup (125 ml) Chinese plum sauce or ½ cup (125 ml) tamarind juice (from 2 heaped tablespoons tamarind pulp mashed with ¼ cup (60 ml) water and strained) mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar; ½ cup (125 ml) Chinese plum sauce or ½ cup (125 ml) tamarind juice (from 2 heaped tablespoons tamarind pulp mashed with ¼ cup (60 ml) water and strained) mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar; ½ cup (125 ml) Palm Sugar Syrup (see note); ½ cup (125 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; ½ tablespoon sesame oil

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
30 min

Appears in

The Food of Malaysia

By Wendy Hutton

Published 2022

About

Contrasting flavours and textures bring excitement to this combination of vegetables, prawns, herbs and crunchy keropok prawn crackers. It makes a delicious starter to any meal.

Ingredients

1 head soft-leaf lettuce, torn into shreds (optional)
1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks
125

Asia
Malaysia
Starter
Fish course
Pescatarian

Method

To make the Sweet Sour Dressing, grind the chillies and garlic in a mortar or blender, adding a little of the plum sauce or tamarind juice to keep the blades turning. When finely ground, add the rest of the dressing ingredients and grind again. Set aside in a small bowl.
Prepare the rest of the ingredients and portion them onto 6 serving plates. Pour a little of t