Thai Galloping Horses -- Vegetarian version

Great appetizer that rivals the pork version.... this actually works well served with the pork version to meet the needs of vegetarians or to simply expand the tastes of Thailand in veg version.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons garlic, chopped
• 3  teaspoons cilantro, chopped
• 2  teaspoons rice wine
• 32  peppercorns, whole or ground
• 4  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 20  ounces  fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 4  tablespoons soy sauce
• 3  tablespoons sugar
• 1 1⁄2 cups peanuts, chopped
• 1  large pineapple, peeled
• 1  large orange, peeled and sliced in sections
• 1  avocado, firm but ripe,removed from skin,pitted and thickly sliced
• 3  red chili peppers, seeded & cut into slivers
• 1  whole fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

1. Using a blender or mortar& pestle, blend the garlic, cilantro roots, rice wine& peppercorns into a paste.
2. Add the vegetable oil to a skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the paste& stir-fry a few seconds until fragrant.
4. Add the shiitake& stir-fry until cooked, 3-5 minutes.
5. Add soy sauce, sugar and peanuts and fry until the sugar is blended into the mixture.
6. Remove from the heat& let cool.
7. Slice the pineapple into 1/2" thick rings and then cut the rings into 1/2" X 1 1/2" chunks.
8. Put a small amount of the cooled stir-fry mixture on individual pineapple chunk, orange slices and avocado slices.
9. Decorate each"horse" with a few slivers of chili and a cilantro leaf.