This easy to make dish is light, tasty and quite different to other Asian cuisines. Perilla (also known as shiso) is a herb used in Korean dishes and is available at most Asian supermarkets. Related to mint, perilla has a very distinct flavour. It tastes nutty, almost like toasted sesame seeds, with a hint of cinnamon.
INGREDIENTS
100g sweet potato noodles
1 carrot, julienned
1 small cucumber, sliced
1 cup baby spinach
1 bunch asparagus, lightly steamed
1 small capsicum, finely sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup edamame beans
1/2 cup sprouts (I used lentils)
1/4 cup perilla leaves, finely sliced
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
Sauce
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sambal oelek*
1 garlic clove, minced
METHOD
Cook sweet potato noodles as packet directions. Place into the bottom of a wide bowl and add other ingredients around the edge.
Whisk together sauce ingredients.
Spoon sauce onto dish and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
*Sambal oelek is an Indonesian hot sauce made with chilies and salt. You can also use Korean chili paste.
DIFFICULTY: Easy peasy
SERVES 2