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Rice noodle and cabbage salad with almond-coconut dressing and coriander-radish salad




The last week I have been working in the sunny Cote d'azur trying to squeeze in the last of summer. It turns out the french riviera makes for excellent people watching! As I basked in the sun my eyes were on stalks checking out all ze oiled up men in scarily tight budgie smugglers, sipping on chilled rosé and lunging in the direction of lots of uninterested glamourous ladies.

I have been trawling through the Denis Cotter book 'For the love of food' trying out recipes that I have wanted too for ages and this one is really really yummy! If you have any leftover make some summer rolls adding pickled ginger, rocket, spring onions and spicy prawns and wrapping up in rice paper rolls with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and dipped in soy sauce..mmmm.


Serves 4

1 tbsp coconut or rapeseed oil
2 small shallots, finely chopped
2 fresh green or red chillies, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh grated ginger
400g savoy cabbage, finely sliced
200g rice noodles

for the almond and coconut dressing
100g almond butter
100ml coconut milk
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp white wine or rice vinegar

coriander and radish salsa
handful of radishes chopped chunkily
3 spring onions, sliced finely
small bunch of fresh coriander
juice of 1 lime

To make the dressing, whisk together the almond butter and coconut milk and the same amount of water to get a free pouring consistency. Stir in the soy sauce and vinegar.

Heat the coconut oil in a wide pan over medium heat and add the shallots, chillies, garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute. Add the cabbage and continue to cook for 3-4 mins, stirring until the cabbage is tender but still quite crisp. Tip this into a big mixing bowl and put aside.

For the noodles follow package instructions but normally, soak them in boiling water for 5-10 mins. Drain and cool them when ready by running them under cold water. Stir into the cabbage with the dressing and season.

For the radish salsa, mix the radishes, spring onions and coriander together in a bowl with the lime juice.

Serve the salad in a big pretty dish with the salsa on top.  Bon Appetit!


Photo credit Harriet Brocket

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