Lahpet Soba Noodle Salad (Burmese x Japanese)

Method

1. Cut the cucumber into 5 cm lengths and then thin matchsticks. Shred the cabbage very finely (2 mm), soak 5 minutes in cold water and shake dry. Cut the spring onions into 3 cm lengths and the chilli into thin rings.

   Add in this stepcucumber 1white cabbage 80 gspring onions 2green chilli 1

2. Slice the garlic evenly 1–2 mm thick, put it in a 16 cm small pan with the oil and fry over medium-low heat for 3 min, stirring. Lift it out as soon as it is pale gold, spread on paper towel, and pour the garlic oil into a bowl to cool.

   Add in this stepgarlic cloves 3peanut oil (or neutral oil) 3 tbsp

   medium-low heat

3. Toast the peanuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 4 min, shaking, adding the sesame for the last minute. Tip onto a plate, cool, then chop the peanuts roughly.

   Add in this stepraw skinless peanuts 30 gsesame seeds 2 tsp

   medium heat

4. Bring a large pot of water (2 L) to a rolling boil over high heat, fan in the soba and stir once. Cook for 4 min; if it threatens to boil over, add half a cup of cold water. When a strand has no hard centre, drain into a sieve and rinse under cold water, rubbing the noodles between your hands to wash off the starch, dip briefly in iced water and drain very well.

   Add in this stepdried buckwheat soba noodles 160 g

   high heat

5. Roughly chop the lahpet into a large bowl and mix in the cooled garlic oil, lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce and sesame oil. It should taste salty and tangy.

   Add in this steplahpet (store-bought fermented tea leaves, drained) 50 glime 1light soy sauce 2 tspfish sauce 1 tsptoasted sesame oil 1 tsp

6. Add the soba, cucumber, cabbage, spring onions and chilli to the dressing and toss with tongs, lifting so everything is coated. Pile into bowls, scatter generously with peanuts, sesame and garlic chips and eat right away.