Caramelised Pork & Green Paw Paw Salad

Today, I got up early and went to the local farmer's market and came home with an array of lovely fresh ingredients and decided to make my version of caramelised pork with green paw paw salad.

Chilli, garlic, lemongrass, fish sauce & palm sugar

Minced pork with the palm sugar, lemongrass & fish sauce

You need to cook the pork until all moisture dissipates and the pork turns a lovely caramel colour

Caramelised Pork

1/4 cup Viet Huong Fish Sauce Three Crabs Brand

5 lumps Pure Palm Sugar Mom & Me Brand (each lump is about the size of a dessert spoon) smashed in a mortar & pestle

1 lemongrass stalk (white part only finely chopped)

500g pork mince

1 tablespoon peanut oil

Pour the oil into a non stick pan and fry the mince for a couple of minutes.

Add the lemongrass, fish sauce and palm sugar.

Cook until all moisture evaporates and the sugar starts to caramelise and the pork starts to brown.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Grating green paw paw with my very expensive grater that cost all of 3 bucks

Green Paw Paw & Organic Carrot

Basil & Mint

Green Paw Paw Salad

1 green paw paw (grated)

1 organic carrot (grated)

1/2 large yellow peach or 1 small peach (grated)

1 cup basil (use scissors to cut the basil up into smaller pieces)

1 cup mint (use scissors to cut up the mint into smaller pieces)

1/2 large red Spanish onion (finely chopped)
Fried Spring Onions & Crushed Peanuts for garnishing

Dressing

Juice from 3 limes

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon garlic (finely minced)

1 long red chilli (finely minced)

1 lump Pure Palm Sugar - smashed with a mortar & pestle (about the size of a dessert spoon)

Assembly

Place all Green Paw Paw Salad ingredients in a large serving bowl.

Add the caramelised pork and combine thoroughly.

Pour the dressing over the top and toss again to ensure the dressing coats all of the ingredients.

Sprinkle some fried spring onions and crushed peanuts on top and serve with some steamed jasmine rice - I use Happy brand fried onions from Malaysia.