Vietnamese Squid Salad

Servings: 4-6
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minute
Ready In: 3 hours & 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Salad
1½ cup (300g) carrot, grated
1½ cup (300g) diakon, grated
1½ cup (300g) cucumber, grated
4 tsp sugar
¼ cup perilla, roughly chopped
¼ cup Vietnamese mint, roughly chopped
¼ cup mint, roughly chopped
¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 cup water
Salt to taste
4 large slices of ginger
1 tbsp of garlic chips.
1 onion, finely sliced

Vinaigrette
5 cup sugar
5 cup white vinegar
2 cups water
1 tsp salt

Dressing
3 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp of sugar
3 tbsp of fish sauce

Directions:
1. Start by preparing the vinaigrette by boiling together the ingredients, until they have combined well, and then allow it to cool.

2. To the grated daikon and the carrot, add 1 tbsp of sugar, then once the vinaigrette is cool add ½ cup to the carrots and daikon, and allow to pickle for at least 3 hours, but it is best if it is left overnight.

3. To the cucumber, add 1 tbsp of sugar, and ½ cup of vinaigrette, and allow to pickle for 10 minutes.

4. Bring to the boil 1 cup of the vinaigrette, 1 cup of water, ½ tsp of salt, and 4 large slices of ginger. Drop the prepared squid into the broth, and allow to cook for 10-15 seconds, and then drain off the liquid and allow to cool.

5. To prepare the salad, shake off the excess vinaigrette from the carrots, the daikon, and the cucumber, and place into a large serving bowl. Top this with 1 tbsp of the garlic chips, and 2 tbsp of the garlic oil. To prepare the garlic chips, simply slice some garlic very thinly, and fry gently in oil until they become crisp. Remove the chips from the pan to cool and retain the oil as it is flavored.

6. To prepare the dressing for the salad, simply mix together the lime juice, the sugar, and the fish sauce, and the pour over 2-3 tbsp over the salad.

7. Place the sliced onions into 2 tbsp of vinegar briefly to pickle them, and then squeeze of the excess vinegar and place the onions into the salad.

8. Gently toss the salad together, and then top with a freshly cut chilli, some cilantro, and serve along side some fish sauce.