Gio ga (Vietnamese chicken and cabbage salad)

This is an amazingly delicious salad that can be whipped up in no time. Like most Vietnamese dishes, it relies on the freshness of produce, texture and balance. I only use free range chicken for this salad, not only because it taste better but it also has a slightly firmer texture that I like. This beautiful crunchy salad can be eaten on it's own or the way I like it, is with congee made from the poaching liquid. The contrast between hot and cold, soft and crunchy, sweet and sour is just amazing. This is everything I love about Vietnamese food, it's simple, dead easy and delicious.


Recipe

1 kg chicken (free range), poached and shredded
1/4 cabbage, finely sliced
1 red onion, finely sliced
1 cup herbs (Vietnamese mint, mint and coriander), roughly chopped

2 tbsp sugar
2.5 tbsp white vinegar
pinch of salt

1 cup Nuoc cham
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup crispy eshallots
2 chilli chopped

Method

1. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, salt and sugar. Stir until sugar and salt dissolves, add the red onion to the vinegar.
2. In a large bowl, add cabbage, herbs, chicken and vinegar mixture. Gently toss to well combined.
3. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle roasted peanuts, crispy eshallots, chilli and serve with Nuoc cham.