Chinese Tiger Salad

Ingredients

Salad

• 1
  
  small carrot, peeled and finely julienned in ~5cm long strips
  
• 2
  
  cucumbers, finely julienned in ~5cm long strips
  
• 1/2
  
  a leek, finely julienned in ~5cm long strips
  
• 12
  
  sprigs of cilantro, cut to ~5cm long strips
  
• 1
  
  pointed green pepper or half a green bell pepper, finely julienned in ~5cm long strips
  
• 75
  
  grams firm smoked tofu, finely julienned in ~5cm long strips
  
• 
  
  Slim slices of ginger totaling 5g, finely julienned in ~5cm long strips
  
• 2
  
  century eggs, peeled and sliced into 8 wedges (optional)
  
• 
  
  A small handful of toasted red-skinned peanuts (optional)
  

Dressing

• 2
  
  fresh bird’s eye chillies, finely sliced
  
• 2
  
  cloves of garlic, minced
  
• 1
  
  teaspoon light soy sauce
  
• 3
  
  teaspoons Chinkiang vinegar
  
• 3
  
  teaspoons Chinese sesame oil
  
• 
  
  a pinch more salt, to taste
  

Directions

1. Easy, tiger: Combine all your julienned vegetables, herbs and tofu in your serving bowl; you might like to separate them, neatly lined up on a long rectangular plate like rainbow stripes on a tiger’s back. This can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 6 hours before serving. Add the extra century egg or peanuts if you wish. Then mix the dressing ingredients together in a bowl. Dress the salad right before serving, toss it up with chopsticks (little known as the world’s most perfect salad-eating utensils), and eat immediately and bravely.
2. Suggested leafy greens pairings (make double the quantity of dressing): Frisée, ultra finely shredded round cabbage, shredded Savoy cabbage, baby spinach.