Thai Som Tam Salad

Ingredients:

1 large, sweet apple/shaved with julienne peeler 

1 courgette spiralled/shaved with julienne peeler 

*Traditionally this salad is made from green papaya, if this is available then can use instead or in combination

2 medium carrots peeled and shredded

two handfuls fine green beans, chopped finely

1 bunch of coriander, chopped roughly

10-14 cherry tomatoes cut in halves

20 lightly crushed germinated macadamia nuts (soak overnight to germinate)

Dressing:

1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste/ can alleviate if vegan

8-10 green beans roughly chopped

1 red thai chili pepper roughly chopped

5 cloves of garlic

5 tablespoons coconut sugar

1 bunch of coriander, with stems

5 cherry tomatoes 

3 tablespoons of fish sauce/ can use vegan fish sauce alternative

juice of three limes

Method:

Prepare the salad ingredients and mix everything well in a big bowl. Save the macadamia to sprinkle over the top when you are finished.

Make the dressing by putting all the ingredients, except the tomatoes, fish sauce, and lime, into a morter and pestle. Crush well until everything is broken down. Add the liquid ingredients until well incorporated. Alternatively, you can put all of the ingredients into a food processor and roughly press it on and off to roughly break down.

Add the dressing to the salad and mix well. Only add the dressing just before you eat, as the acid from the dressing will start to cook the vegetables and it will go soggy. Top with crushed macadamia and a few sprigs of coriander.