Lobster, Soy Chicken and Mango Salad

ingredients

• 2 750 g (2 ) live lobsters
• 10 litres (2 1/2 gallons) boiling water
• a handful of sea salt
• 20 milliliters (4 teaspoons) water
• 4 heaped tablespoons palm sugar
• 50 milliliters (3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon) tamarind juice
• 30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) light soy sauce
• 120 milliliters (1 / 2 cups) extra-virgin olive oil
• 150 grams (2/3 cup) fresh fine egg noodles, cooked
• 40 grams (1 1 / 1/4 cup) fresh black wood fungus (also known as wood ear mushrooms)
• 40 grams (1 1 / 1/4 cup) fresh white wood fungus (also known as white tree fungus, white jelly fungus, or snow mushroom)
• 40 grams (1 1 / 1/4 cup) enoki mushrooms
• 2 ripe mangoes, for 6 nice slices
• 6 slices breast meat from Master Stock Chicken, skin removed
• white peppercorns for grinding
• pickled cucumber
• 1 continental (European) cucumber
• sea salt
• 60 milliliters (1 / 1 quart) rice-wine vinegar
• 30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) superfine sugar

directions

To make the Pickled Cucumber, slice the cucumber lengthwise on a mandolin or slice very thinly. Add the sea salt and allow to stand for 30 minutes. Wash the cucumber in water and dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl, mix the vinegar and sugar together and add to the cucumber. Set aside until ready to use.

Drown the lobsters in fresh water, this will take about 30 minutes. Boil the water and sea salt together vigorously in a pot large enough to fit the lobsters. Add the lobsters and cook for 6 minutes. Remove from the pot and allow to cool to room temperature. Do not refresh.

Remove the lobster tails and peel off the shell by cutting down each side and pulling away the shell. Crack the shells and remove the meat from the legs.

To make the dressing, put the 20 milliliters (4 teaspoons) water and palm sugar together in a small pot and cook until the sugar has caramelised. Add the tamarind juice and soy sauce, and allow to cool to room temperature. Add the olive oil and stir vigorously.

In a large bowl mix the noodles, black and white wood fungus, and enoki mushrooms together. Add half of the dressing and toss to coat.

Divide the salad between 6 large plates. Place a slice of mango on each plate, top with a slice of chicken, lobster and some leg meat. Top with a slice of pickled cucumber, and grind over some pepper. Drizzle over the remaining dressing, and serve.

Chef Neil Perry shares his tips with Epicurious:

The live lobsters in this recipe are drowned in fresh water, a traditional method in Australia that's thought to be gentler and produce better-textured meat. They can also be plunged directly into boiling water.

The dressing for this recipe calls for tamarind juice, which can be hard to find in the U.S. Tamarind pulp (often sold in blocks) can be found in many stores that carry Thai ingredients. To make the juice, soak 1 part pulp in 4 parts warm water, stir, and then strain through cheesecloth.

The recipe for the Master Stock Chicken will produce leftovers after you've used 6 slices of breast meat for the salad. The rest can be served with Perry's 3 Dipping Sauces, or fried in peanut oil for a crispy-skinned Chinese classic.