TARO NEST WITH WARM SALAD

A pretty looking golden brown noodle basket which looks like a nest that's filled with a warm, crunchy asparagus salad. The vegetarian oyster sauce and honey make a wonderful dressing for this tongue tickling meal.

Cooking Time : 20 mins.
Preparation Time : 20 mins.

Makes 2 nests.

For the taro nest
2 cups noodles (parboiled)
2 teaspoons cornflour
salt to taste
oil for deep frying

For the warm salad

¼ cup spring onion whites, sliced
1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
½ teaspoon ginger, grated
6 to 8 asparagus, cut into 25 mm. (1") pieces (parboiled)
½ cup baby corn, sliced diagonally (parboiled)
½ cup capsicum, diced
½ cup snow peas, cut lengthwise (parboiled)
½ cup French beans, cut diagonally (parboiled)
½ cup bean sprouts
1 tablespoon oil
salt to taste

To be mixed together into a dressing

1 teaspoon soya sauce
1 teaspoon vegetarian oyster sauce
1½ teaspoons honey

For the garnish
1½ teaspoons sesame (til) seeds, toasted

For the taro nest

1. Spread the noodles on a kitchen towel and dab lightly to absorb all the moisture.
2. Sprinkle cornflour and salt on the noodles and mix lightly. Divide into 2 equal portions.
3. Place the half noodles in a strainer to make a basket, along the mesh of the strainer.
4. Heat the oil, hold the noodles in the strainer on top and pour the hot oil in the strainer, using a ladle, to fry the basket.
5. Keep pouring the oil on all sides until the noodles are golden brown.
6. Remove carefully from the strainer and place on absorbent kitchen paper.
7. Repeat with remaining noodles to make another nest.

For the warm salad
1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the spring onion whites, garlic, green chilli and ginger and sauté for a few seconds over a high flame.
2. Add the asparagus, capsicum, snow peas and French beans and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the bean sprouts and salt and mix well. Remove from the flame and keep aside.

How to proceed

1. Just before serving, toss the dressing into the salad and place half the salad in one basket. Repeat to fill the other basket.
2. Serve immediately, garnished with the toasted sesame seeds.

Tips

Vegetarian oyster sauce is a proprietory sauce and is available at all leading provision stores.