Mark Hix recipe: Prawn, green mango and lime Salad

Serves 4

Prawn, green mango and lime salad (Jason Lowe)

I like to keep a bag of good-quality raw sea-water prawns in my freezer. They are great for curries, pasta or a salad like this and, what's more, if they have their shells on you can make a stock for the shell shot on the next page – or a bisque or Asian broth.

20 or so good-quality prawns, cooked and peeled
A couple of handfuls of Asian salad leaves like mizuna, tatsoi, or tiny pak choi (from Thai or Chinese supermarkets), or just some small salad leaves, washed and dried
A handful of herbs such as coriander, mint, Thai basil leaves, Thai parsley, betel leaves, parilla, etc... picked, washed and dried
1 green or under-ripe mango, peeled
40g mange tout, shredded
4 spring onions, finely shredded

For the dressing

1 small red chilli, seeded and finely diced
1 stick of lemon grass, trimmed and chopped as finely as possible (keep the trimmings)
A small piece of galangal or ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated (keep the trimmings)
1tbsp fish sauce
Juice of 1 lime, or a kaffir lime
1tsp sugar
1tbsp rice vinegar
3tbsp vegetable oil

Mix together the ingredients for the dressing and leave to infuse for at least an hour.

On a mandolin, or with a sharp knife, or peeler, slice the mango as thinly as possible, slicing around the stone. Mix the prawn, the mangoes and all the other ingredients for the salad with the dressing and serve in individual bowls or one large bowl.