Plagoong (Spicy Thai "Shrimp" Salad)

I remember having this as a hot dish at a Vietnamese restaurant in Sydney before I went vegan. I loved the combination of the spicy, sweet and sour. This recipe adapted from Genius Kitchen. I ended up having to remove the chills because it was so spicy!

Pla Goong (Spicy Thai "Shrimp" Salad)

Ingredients

1 head green leaf lettuce, cut
1 lb faux shrimp (substitute for fried tofu, soy curls or chickpeas, drained)
1⁄2 inch gingerroot, cut into thin julienne pieces
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 fresh red chilies, thinly sliced
1 stalk lemongrass, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon brown sugar/palm sugar
2 tablespoons vegan fish sauce
1⁄3 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped green onions
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
15 fresh mint leaves

Method

Put lettuce in salad bowls, and arrange faux shrimp/chickpeas/tofu on top.
Place ginger, onion and chilies over shrimp.
In a small bowl, mix lemongrass, garlic, sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and black pepper.
Pour over salads and garnish with green onion, cilantro, and mint leaves.
Serve.