This week I decided to make a somewhat vegetarian version of the Burmese chicken salad I previously made. When I say somewhat I mean that there’s still fish sauce in the dressing and also that the dish is given an extra flavour kick with the addition of dried shrimp powder. This is another essential ingredient and quite unique in the way it’s used in Burmese cooking in that its purpose is generally as a raw ingredient added to salads.

It may be difficult to find it in its powdered form but you should be able to source dried shrimp from any good Asian/Chinese grocery store. Use your blender to pulverise it into a coarse-ish powder and voila! If you’re hardcore you can use a mortar and pestle to get similar results but you may be there for some time…

This dish is yet another one to be enjoyed on a hot summer’s day, but also makes a great accompaniment to curry and rice on not-so-hot days. The carrots and lime juice pack a crisp punch and all the other ingredients add their textural elements  to create a tasty and surprisingly substantial little dish.

Ingredients

• 2 medium-large carrots, coarsely grated
• 1 mild-medium hot green chilli, thinly sliced
• 2 generous tablespoons of chopped coriander/mint (I like to use a few sprigs of both)
• 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
• 3-4 tablespoons fried shallots (go here to find the Fried Shallot Oil recipe)
• 2 tablespoons shallot oil (as above)
• 2 teaspoons dried shrimp powder
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce (to taste, beware it’s quite salty! I usually just add a quick splash)

How to

1. Combine the carrots, chilli, coriander/mint, peanuts and lime juice. Mix well and the carrots will start to naturally soften due to the action of the lime juice.
2. Then add the fried shallots, shallot oil, shrimp powder and fish sauce. Mix well and adjust to taste.
3. Easy peasy!