Lotus Stem Salad with Prawn and Pork

Name: Lotus Stem Salad with Prawn and Pork (Gỏi Ngó Sen)
Yield: Serves 4-6 as part of a Shared Meal
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar; 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) lemon juice; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, crushed; 1 large handful Vietnamese mint leaves; 2 bird’s eye chillies, sliced; 2 tablespoons fried red Asian shallots; coriander (cilantro) sprigs, to garnish; coriander (cilantro) sprigs, to garnish; 1 plate cooked prawn crackers; dipping fish sauce, to serve; 300 g (10½ oz) pork neck; 300 g (10½ oz) cooked prawns (shrimp), peeled and deveined, then halved lengthways; 300 g (10½ oz) cooked prawns (shrimp), peeled and deveined, then halved lengthways; 300 g (10½ oz) pickled lotus stems, washed and drained; 100 g (3½ oz) pickled carrots, washed and drained; 100 g (3½ oz) daikon, peeled and thinly sliced; 2 Chinese celery stems, sliced into 5 cm (2 inch) pieces

Gỏi Ngó Sen

Preparation info

Serves
4-6
as part of a Shared Meal

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Songs of Sapa

By Luke Nguyen

Published 2009

About

MY AUNTY NINE IS THE QUEEN OF VIETNAMESE SALADS AND DRESSINGS. I HAVE EATEN MANY LOTUS STEM SALADS IN VIETNAM, BUT IT IS HER VERY WELL-BALANCED DRESSINGS AND SAUCES THAT DISTINGUISHES HERS FROM THE REST. YOU CAN BUY THE PICKLED LOTUS STEMS AND CARROTS IN JARS FROM YOUR ASIAN MARKET.

Ingredients

300 g (10½ oz) pork neck
300 g (10½

Asia
Vietnam
Saigon
Dinner
Southeast Asia
Gluten-free

Method

To cook the pork neck, pour 1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) of water into a small saucepan, add the pork and bring to