Raw Pad Thai with spicy sautéed mushrooms

Featuring a peanut dressing made with soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and lime juice, and a spicy sautéed mushroom topping, this dish is both delicious and nutritious. Serve it up with a generous squeeze of lime and some roasted peanuts. Recipe compliments of South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association.

Ingredients

Peanut dressing:

• ¼ cup peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 500g portabellini mushrooms, sliced
• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp sriracha, sambal oelek or any similar hot sauce
• ¼ purple cabbage, shredded finely
• 4 carrots, peeled and julienned or spiralised
• 2 large courgettes, julienned or spiralised
• 1 red chilli, seeds removed and thinly sliced
• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
• ½ cup coriander leaves
• ½ cup bean sprouts
• ½ cup roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped
• Fresh lime wedges, for serving

Method

For the dressing:

1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk.
2. Add a splash of warm water if you’d like to thin it out slightly..
3. Taste to adjust any seasoning and set aside.
4. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the mushrooms on high heat until lightly golden.
5. Remove from the heat and drizzle with a little of the peanut dressing and the spicy chilli sauce. Toss to coat.
6. In a large mixing bowl add the cabbage, carrots, courgettes, chilli, spring onions and coriander. Add a little drizzle of dressing and toss.
7. Add the mushrooms and mix everything well.
8. Plate the salad and sprinkle with bean sprouts and peanuts. Serve with chunky lime wedges.