This vegan recipe from our friends at Nourish Vegan Cafe in Yangon cuts out the regular dried shrimp and fish sauce but keeps the crunch and flavour of the traditional version. With a few more vegetables, roasted garlic for extra sweetness and extra virgin olive oil. Adding high quality vegetable powder instead of the commonly used msg powder adds extra nutrients.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Pickled tea leaves - small handful
Green chilli - up to you! (we suggest starting with 1, deseeded and testing the heat)

Vegetable powder - approx 1 tsp (if your powder is non salted then add a little sea salt)

Garlic, roasted - approx 2 large cloves

Shredded white cabbage - 2 large handfuls
Tomatoes - 6-8, finely sliced wedges, deseeded
Fried bean mix - large handful
Green beans , blanched - 2 handfuls
Carrot , 1 grated
Sweetcorn , 2 cobs, charred on flame
Crispy lettuce, shredded

Method:

Rinse the pickled tea leaves thoroughly several times to remove the bitterness.

Add to a food processor (or pestle and mortar) with the green chilli, vegetable powder and garlic.

Adjust to taste with more vegetable powder, garlic and/or chilli.
Mix thoroughly with the cabbage, fried bean mix, green beans, carrot, tomato.

Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce then garnish with the charred sweetcorn and lime.