Salmon Bun Cha Salad

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

200g dried rice vermicelli noodles

1 telegraph cucumber, julienned 

1 carrot, julienned

1 handful of mint leaves

1 handful of coriander leaves 

½ red onion, finely sliced

1 handful of bean sprouts

Peanut oil (or vegetable oil), for shallow frying

Dressing

3 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp white vinegar 

60g (¼ cup) white sugar 

Zest of 1 lime

Juice of 2 limes

1 small red chilli, finely chopped 

1 garlic clove, chopped

Salmon Bun Cha

500g salmon fillets (or any white-fleshed fish), skin removed and pin-boned, cut into 3 cm pieces

1 handful of coriander roots and stalks, finely chopped

1 tbsp oyster sauce 

1 tsp fish sauce

1 egg, whisked

½ tsp each of white sugar and salt flakes

2 tbsp rice flour or cornflour

Method

To make the dressing, combine the fish sauce, white vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan with 3 tablespoons of water and warm through until the sugar has dissolved. Cool to room temperature and then add the lime zest and juice, chilli and garlic. The dressing can be made in advance and stored in a sterilised jar in the fridge for up to a month.

To make the salmon bun cha, place the salmon in a food processor along with the coriander, oyster and fish sauces, egg, sugar and salt. Blitz until a rough, sticky paste forms. Transfer to a bowl, then fold through the flour.

Using a tablespoon, scoop out heaped dollops of the salmon mixture and shape into rough balls. Arrange the balls on a tray lined with baking paper and place in the fridge until ready to fry.

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and cook the rice noodles for 1–2 minutes or until softened. Drain and cool immediately under a cold running tap. Drain again and portion into serving bowls. Arrange the cucumber, carrot, herbs, red onion and bean sprouts on top.

Heat enough peanut oil to generously cover the bottom of a large frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the salmon bun cha, in batches, and cook for 1–2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towel.

Arrange three or four salmon bun cha on the noodles, drizzle over a generous amount of the dressing, then serve.