Pad thai salad with shredded cabbage and kale
This is a fresher, crunchier version of crowd favourite, pad thai noodles. Rather than using cooked vegetables, I’ve used raw kale and cabbage, which I’ve softened by massaging in salt and lime. This leaves the veggies citrussy, with a bit of crunch, adding an exciting brightness to this classic noodle dish. You could use other veggies, too – carrots would be a nice addition – and add pan-fried tofu slices if you want to increase the protein.
30 MINUTES | SERVES 4 | EASY |
kale 120g, leaves only, finely sliced green or purple cabbage 225g, finely sliced
lime 1, halved
flat rice noodles 350g
radishes 3, finely sliced
spring onions 2, finely sliced basil 20 leaves
coriander a handful of leaves
roasted peanuts 3 tbsp, roughly chopped
PAD THAI DRESSING
soft light brown sugar 3 tbsp
vegan fish sauce (buy online or see cook’s notes, below) 3 tbsp
rice vinegar 1 tbsp
tamarind purée 1 tbsp
toasted sesame oil 1 tbsp
dried chilli flakes ¼ tsp
garlic 1 small clove, finely chopped
extra-virgin olive oil 1-2 tbsp
To prepare the dressing, heat the sugar, fish sauce, rice vinegar, tamarind, sesame oil, chilli flakes and garlic in a small pan over a low heat for 1 minute until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil and season.
Put the kale and cabbage in a large bowl, sprinkle with 1 tsp of sea salt and squeeze over the juice of half a lime. Massage the salt and juice into the leaves to tenderise them, then leave to sit for 10 minutes.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the noodles following pack instructions, usually about 6-7 minutes. Rinse under cold running water and leave to drain.
To serve, combine the noodles, massaged leaves and dressing in a large bowl and toss to coat. Taste and season. Add the radishes, spring onions, basil and coriander, and toss gently. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the peanuts, then serve with the remaining lime, cut into wedges, on the side.
PER SERVING 567 kcals | fat 15.1G saturates 2.4G | carbs 94G | sugars 23.4G fibre 5.5G | protein 10.9G | salt 2.3G