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Nộm su hào (kohlrabi and carrot salad)
Crunchy kohlrabi and carrot in a sweet, sour, garlicky fish sauce dressing with peanuts and herbs
When the Tết table in northern Vietnam fills with sticky rice cakes, pork in aspic and boiled chicken, a plate of nộm su hào brings freshness and balance, and its bright colours are a cheerful sign for the new year. Kohlrabi is at its sweetest in the northern winter, so it is shredded with carrot, salted to draw out water and dressed with fish sauce, lime, sugar, garlic and chilli, then finished with roasted peanuts and Vietnamese herbs. It is crisp, juicy and tangy; serve it beside rich meats or bánh chưng. For a vegetarian version, a soy dressing is given in the last step. Chef's tip: squeeze the salted vegetables really dry, or the dressing turns watery and dull.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 ⅓ lb kohlrabipeeled and cut into fine matchsticks
- 1 carrotabout 150 g, cut into fine matchsticks
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 handful Vietnamese coriander or Thai basil leavestorn
For the dressing
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 garlic clovesfinely chopped
- 1 red chillifinely chopped
To serve
- 1 ¾ oz roasted peanutsroughly crushed
- 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 2: Rinse briefly, then squeeze the vegetables firmly in your hands or a clean cloth until no more water drips out. Common mistake: skipping the squeeze, which dilutes the dressing into a puddle.
3 minStep 3: Stir 2 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 garlic cloves and 1 red chilli until the sugar dissolves; taste for an even balance of salty, sweet and sour.
3 minStep 4: Toss the vegetables with the dressing and leave 5 minutes, until they look glossy and slightly wilted but still crunchy.
5 minStep 5: Mix in 1 handful Vietnamese coriander or Thai basil leaves, pile onto a plate and scatter with 1 ¾ oz roasted peanuts and 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots. Vegetarian variation: replace the fish sauce with 2 tbsp light soy sauce (or tamari to keep it gluten free) and add 1 tsp extra lime juice.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nộm su hào (kohlrabi and carrot salad) take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
- What can I use instead of fish sauce?
- Soy sauce with a squeeze of lime (vegetarian).
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