Rice noodle salad with vegan lemongrass meatballs

Step 1/5

• 3 stalks lemongrass
• 2 cloves garlic
• 10 g ginger
• 200 g Garden Gourmet Sensational Mince
• 2½ tbsp sweet soy sauce
• 1½ tbsp light soy sauce
• ½ lime

• fine grater
• large bowl
• plate

Remove woody layers from lemongrass stalks, then separate the white parts from the green parts. Use a microplane to finely grate the white parts, discarding the green. Use the same microplane to finely grate ginger and most of the garlic. Add vegan ground meat to a bowl with lemongrass, grated garlic and ginger, sweet soy sauce, most of the light soy sauce, and the juice of half a lime. Combine well using your hands, then wet your hands and roll the meatball mixture into walnut-sized balls. Let sit.

Step 2/5

• 1 scallion
• 1 carrot
• ½ cucumber
• 150 g tomatoes
• ¼ pointed cabbage
• 1 Thai chili

• cutting board
• knife

For the salad, thinly slice scallions and julienne the carrots. Deseed and julienne cucumber. Halve cherry tomatoes, slice Thai chili, and shave the cabbage. If it’s a hot day, keep the veggies in the fridge or a bowl of water spiked with lime juice and, optionally, some salt and sugar.

Step 3/5

• 2½ limes
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp water
• 50 roasted peanuts
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt
• 100 g rice vermicelli noodles

• bowl
• food processor
• pot (small)
• sieve

To make the sauce, squeeze remaining limes into a bowl, grate in remaining garlic clove, sugar, light soy sauce, water, and Thai chili. Add roasted peanuts to a food processor (adding extra sugar and salt, if desired) and grind into a coarse powder. Prepare rice noodles according to package instructions; if this involves heating, make sure to rinse your noodles under cold water and drain before serving.

Step 4/5

• 1½ tbsp vegetable oil

• frying pan (large)
• spatula

Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add vegan meatballs and fry until deeply brown on all sides, approx. 7 min.

Step 5/5

• 20 g Thai basil
• 20 g mint
• toasted sesame oil (for serving)

• plate (large)
• bowl (small)

Serve salad individually or on a large platter, arranging Thai basil, mint, scallions, cucumber, cabbage, carrots, and tomatoes around the edge of the plate, and adding nests of rice noodles, a small bowl with the dressing, and the meatballs. Spoon a little dressing over the fresh ingredients and drizzle with toasted sesame oil, if desired. Garnish the noodles (or everything!) with a sprinkling of the peanut powder. Enjoy!

Enjoy your meal!