Wing Bean and Grilled Prawn Salad

A delicious Thai salad which strikes the classic balance characteristic of Thai food between sour, salty, sweet and hot flavours. It contains lime (sour), fish sauce (salty), palm sugar (sweet) and chilli (hot). I have not made this, but if I were to do so, I would adjust the amounts to ensure it has only a smidgeon of heat! Or if I were feeling really cowardly (which is more likely), I’d simply leave out the chilli. Adjust the amounts to suit your tastes! This is another recipe I have found in the first edition - September 2005 - of the new Australian magazine 'Notebook: ideas for living'. We have a lot of Asian migrants in Australia, and as a result a lot of fabulous Asian restaurants (representing the cuisines of many different countries) and many of the recipes in our cooking magazines frequently reflect these influences. I know lots of people whose favourite cuisine is Thai, so I thought that this was a recipe worth sharing. Because I am on unfamiliar ground with a recipe like this, I've made NO changes to it. I am posting it here for the Zaar World Tour 2005.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 16  green  king prawns
• 2  teaspoons  peanut oil
• 6 -8  wing beans, cut into thirds diagonally
• 1  pomelo fruit, segmented (note below)
• 1⁄2 cup mint leaf
• 1⁄2 cup Thai basil
• 1⁄2 cup coriander leaves
• 1  stalk lemongrass, white part only, very finely shredded
• 8  cherry tomatoes, halved

• DRESSING

• 1  red  birds eye chile
• 1  garlic clove
• 1  teaspoon  dried shrimp (optional, note below)
• 2  tablespoons palm sugar, grated
• 1⁄4 cup lime juice
• 1⁄4 cup fish sauce

Directions

1. To make the dressing, place the chilli, garlic and a pinch of salt into a mortar and pound to a paste with the pestle. Add the shrimp and pound to combine. Add the palm sugar and stir until it has dissolved, then stir in the lime juice and fish sauce.
2. Remove and discard the prawn heads, then peel the prawns, leaving the tails intact. Using a pair of kitchen tweezers, devein the prawns.
3. Place the prawns into a bowl with the oil, season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper, then toss to combine.
4. Preheat a chargrill pan until hot, then cook the prawns for 2 minutes on each side, or until they are cooked through.
5. Transfer the prawns to a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and dressing, and toss gently.
6. Serve immediately as a light lunch or as part of a Thai-style banquet.
7. Notes: Pomelos are large citrus fruits, related to the grapefruit. They're available from Asian food stores and from some greengrocers. If they are not available, you can substitute pink grapefruit. Dried shrimp are available from Asian food stores. Wing beans are a distinctive-looking beans which retains their crispness when cooked. Apparently, they are good in salads and stir-fries.