The best Thai salads are combinations of opposing tastes and textures. The flavour should be a balance of hot, sweet, sour and salty. Get the balance of these flavours right and you can create authentic Thai dishes at home. Use the recipes as guides – the intensity of the ingredients can vary and only your tongue can tell you how much more of something you need to add.

This Thai prawn salad is one of my favourite dishes and is adapted from a recipe by David Thompson.

Thai Prawn Salad

 20 large cooked prawns
2 red eshallots, thinly sliced
1 tbsp finely sliced lemongrass
4 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1-2 long red chillies, thinly sliced
large handful of mixed mint and coriander leaves

For the dressing

2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
2 tsp caster sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce

Peel the prawns and remove their heads and any veins, then thinly slice them.
Combine the dressing by shaking in a screw top jar until well mixed.
Mix the dressing  and sliced prawn together then  add remaining ingredients and mix gently to combine.
Season to taste. Serves 4