I particularly love South East Asian flavours. There is something so vibrant in the mix of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy notes that is so exciting to the palate. Combine these profiles with lick of smoke and plenty of textural contrast you are really on to a winner in my book.
This dish hits all the right notes for me and is a really excellent accompaniment to grilled meats, with a side of sticky rice, or piled on top of some toasted sourdough for a Thai take on a brunch classic.
It’s a super simple dish and given the correct balance will be a total winner.
Ingredients;
280 g assorted wild mushrooms
100 g dried porcini mushrooms
soy sauce
mirin
20 ml dashi
20 ml lime juice
7 g sugar
5 g toasted chilli powder
30 g shallot, finely sliced
20 g lemongrass, finely sliced
mint, small bunch leaves picked, half finely sliced, half left intact
coriander, small bunch, leaves picked, stems and roots finely chopped.
15 g Thai sticky rice
peanut or vegetable oil
salt
cracked black pepper
Method
- Toast the rice in a pan or wok over a medium heat until golden. Transfer to a pestle and mortar and pound to a fine powder, but not so fine that you lose its texture.
- Steep the dried mushrooms in hot water for 1 hour, drain and reserve the liquid.
- Prepare your BBQ for direct grilling over a medium heat. Failing this a heavy based pan will be more than adequate.
- In a mixing bowl coat the mushrooms in a little oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill the mushrooms, turning occasionally until cooked through. The mushrooms should have taken on a nice deep golden brown colour in places. This may take 5-10 minutes depending on the size of the mushroom and also the heat of your BBQ.
- Once cooked, transfer to a board and if there are any particularly large mushrooms cut to a more manageable size. – NB – I like to tear the mushrooms with the grain to retain a more natural look. Any small mushrooms leave whole.
- Whilst the mushrooms cool a little make the dressing by combing the lime juice, 20 ml of the mushroom stock, dashi, sugar, chilli powder and lemon grass in a small sauce pan. Heat the dressing a little so that it is warm to the touch and the sugar has dissolved. This should take only a few seconds.
- To assemble the salad place the mushrooms in a bowl and mix with the chopped herbs and shallots and dress with half of the dressing.
- Arrange on a plate and pour over the remaining dressing. Garnish with herbs and toasted rice powder.
FORKIN DELICIOUS 