Instructions
The jackfruit and lotus roots retain a lot of water, so it’s important
that you wash and drain them ahead of time in order to get as much of
the excess liquid out as possible. Blotting them with a towel helps to
get whatever remaining liquid is left. Halve the lotus rootlets
crosswise and then lengthwise. The jackfruit can be sliced into
bite-size pieces.
When making the dressing for this salad, you
want to make the simple syrup a little thicker than usual since you
don’t want too much liquid in the salad. Dissolve sugar in the boiling
water and let it reduce a bit. Pour this simple syrup into a small bowl
to cool. Once cool, add the lime juice, garlic, chili peppers and fish
sauce and stir together.
Set aside.
Throw
jackfruit, rootlets, onion, herbs and sesame seeds into a salad bowl
and toss well with dressing. You might think the amount of herbs is
excessive, but they wilt down substantially while the other ingredients
stay the same size. Adjust seasoning if needed. Cover and chill for at
least 30 minutes.
Shortly before serving, sprinkle the prawns
with a bit of sea salt, fresh ground pepper and a tiny bit of olive oil
and throw them on a grill. Halve them lengthwise. Plate salad and
sprinkle with shallot crisps and toasted pistachios. Top with prawns
hot off the grill.