Ingredients:

• 2 green mangoes, finely shredded
• 100g Asian salad leaves
• 1 cup mint leaves
• 1/2 cup Vietnamese mint leaves
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves
• 1 cup Thai basil leaves
• 1/3 cup (50g) plain flour
• 2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes
• 200g fresh whitebait
• Peanut or sunflower oil, to deep-fry

Dressing

• 1/4 cup (60ml) fish sauce
• 1/4 cup (60ml) rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons grated palm sugar
• 1 long red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons lime juice, plus wedges to serve

 

Instructions:

• For the dressing, combine fish sauce, rice vinegar, palm sugar, chilli and lime juice in a bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar. Taste, then adjust with extra fish sauce, lime or sugar, if desired. Set aside.
• Combine the green mango, salad leaves and herbs in a bowl. Set aside.
• Combine the flour and dried chilli flakes in a shallow dish. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Half-fill a deep-fryer or large saucepan with oil, then heat to 180°C (a cube of bread will turn golden in 30 seconds when the oil is hot enough).
• Dust whitebait in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess, then fry, in batches, for 2-3 minutes until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel. Keep warm while you cook the remainder.
• Toss the salad with half the dressing. Divide salad among bowls, then top with whitebait and serve with lime wedges and remaining dressing, to drizzle.