Minced chicken and noodle salad

• 250g minced chicken
• 1 stalk lemongrass, sliced
• 1 tbsp chopped ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh turmeric, sliced
• 1 tbsp camellia tea oil
• 1 tbsp coriander root, chopped
• 2 birdseye chillies, chopped
• 2 tbsp palm sugar, chopped
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 cup fresh coriander, torn
• 1 cup fresh Thai basil, torn
• 2 cups bean shoots
• 1 Spanish onion, finely sliced
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 cups green beans, blanched
• 250g bean vermicelli glass noodles
• 50g fried shallots
• black pepper to taste

Place glass noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water for five minutes or until al dente, then rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.

Grind together in a mortar and pestle turmeric, coriander root, palm sugar, garlic and a little lime juice.

In a wok or frypan, sauté chilli, lime leaves, ginger, lemongrass, chicken mince and camellia oil for a few minutes before adding contents of mortar and cook until chicken is done. Finish with soy and fish sauces and black pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, mix together noodles, beans, Spanish onion, bean shoots, basil, coriander and lime juice. Lay out on a large platter or individual plates and top with turmeric chicken. Finish with scattered fried shallots. Serves 4 to 6