Yum Goong Thod (Spicy Deep-Fried Shrimp Salad)

Salads don't have to be purely vegetarian, just look at this vibrant salad, which is chock-full of fried battered prawns. A tom yum-spiced base gives the salad a piquant heat, so even those not keen salads should take to this!

Ingredients (feeds 2):
1 cup fresh tiger prawns, deshelled with tails on
1/4 cup tempura flour (plain flour works in a pinch too)
1 cup canola oil (or soya bean oil)
1 stalk fresh lemongrass, bashed and sliced finely
2 fresh kaffir lime leaves, main vein stripped and sliced finely
1/4 yellow onion, sliced finely
1 tomato, seeded and sliced thickly
1/2 large red chilli, seeded and thinly sliced
1 chilli padi, finely sliced (ok to increase to 3 if you can take the heat)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bulb shallot, minced
2 tsp tom yum paste (get those ready-mixes from the supermarket)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp palm sugar


Directions:
1) Coat prawns in tempura flour and fry in pre-heated oil until golden brown.

2) Drain on paper towels.

3) Combine tom yum paste, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar in mixing bowl, and mix well. Add fried prawns. 

4) Add chilli, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, garlic, lemongrass and toss.

5) Add tomatoes and onions, and toss again.

6) Assemble and ready to serve.