Goi Ngo Sen Tom Thit

Ingredients

• 400 g pickled lotus stems (ngo sen), drained and cut into 5 cm lengths
• 300 g raw shrimp, shells on
• 300 g pork belly, in one piece
• 1 carrot, cut into fine matchsticks
• 1 small onion, sliced paper-thin
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar for the onion
• 60 ml fish sauce
• 60 g sugar
• 60 ml lime juice
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 red chillies, finely chopped
• 1 large handful Vietnamese coriander (rau ram), roughly torn
• 80 g roasted peanuts, roughly crushed
• 3 tbsp fried shallots
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 bag prawn crackers (banh phong tom), fried, to serve

Before you cook

• Drain the pickled lotus stems and cut them into 5 cm lengths, then squeeze out the excess liquid.
• Slice the onion paper-thin and soak it in the 3 tbsp of rice vinegar with 1 tsp of sugar for 15 minutes.
• Cut the carrot into fine matchsticks and rub them with a pinch of salt, then rinse and squeeze them dry.
• Tear the Vietnamese coriander and crush the peanuts.

Steps

1. Put the pork belly in a small pot, cover it with cold water and add 1/2 tsp of the salt.
2. Bring it to a simmer and poach the pork gently for 25 minutes until a skewer slides in cleanly.
3. Lift the pork out and drop it into iced water for 5 minutes so the fat firms up.
4. Bring the same pot back to the boil and add the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt.
5. Poach the shrimp in their shells for 2 minutes until they curl and turn pink.
6. Drain the shrimp and cool them under cold water, then peel and devein them.
7. Slice each shrimp in half lengthways so they lie flat.
8. Slice the chilled pork belly as thinly as you can into 3 cm wide pieces.
9. Stir the 60 g of sugar into the 60 ml of lime juice in a bowl until it dissolves.
10. Add the 60 ml of fish sauce, the chopped garlic and the chilli, then taste and adjust so it is punchy, sour and only just sweet.
11. Drain the pickled onion and put it in a large mixing bowl.
12. Add the lotus stems, carrot matchsticks, sliced pork and half the shrimp.
13. Pour over two thirds of the dressing and toss everything with your hands for 30 seconds.
14. Leave the salad to sit for 10 minutes so the stems take up the dressing.
15. Drain off any liquid that has pooled at the bottom of the bowl.
16. Toss through the torn Vietnamese coriander and half the peanuts.
17. Pile the salad onto a platter and arrange the remaining shrimp over the top.
18. Scatter over the rest of the peanuts, the fried shallots and the black pepper.
19. Serve with the prawn crackers and the remaining dressing on the side for scooping.