Pickled Romaine lettuce hearts with rice noodles and spicy togarashi sprinkle

“This simple, delicious dish works as a side with everything from the crispy pork to steamed or grilled fish. The togarashi spice can be kept in an airtight container for up to two months in the freezer or one month in the fridge.”

Serves 4 to 6

EASY

GREAT VALUE Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 5 minutes

For the pickle: ginger 1 x 2 cm piece garlic 4 cloves

Woolworths Serenade chillies 2, seeded palm sugar 1t sesame oil 1T fish sauce 1T rice vinegar 3T soya sauce 2T

For the togarashi sprinkle: red chilli flakes 2T white sesame seeds 2T black sesame seeds 2T Szechuan peppercorns 1t ground ginger 1t poppy seeds ½t nori ½ sheet, toasted orange 1, zested

sesame seeds 1 T, toasted Woolworths Romaine lettuce hearts 2, rinsed mint 5g rice vermicelli 150 g, cooked

1 To make the pickle, blend the ginger, garlic, chillies, palm sugar and sesame oil in a blender until a chunky paste forms. Add the remaining ingredients and chill for 10 minutes. 2 To make the togarashi spice, blend all the ingredients together until a fine powder is formed. Remove

2 T of the spice and combine it with the toasted sesame seeds. 3 Tear the lettuce into large chunks and toss with the pickle, then allow to stand for 3–5 minutes. 4 Serve the noodles topped with the lettuce, garnished with mint and togarashi sprinkle. Pour any leftover pickle over the noodles before serving. FAT-CONSCIOUS, DAIRY-FREE

WINE: Woolworths Villiera Carte Blanche