Ingredients (serves 6)

• half kilo whitebait
• 2 tspn ground chilli
• 1 large mango chopped
• 1.5 cups mint and coriander chopped
• 3 tspn fried shallots
• an amount vegetable oil for frying whitebait
• 3 sprigs spring onion
• an amount flour
• MINT DRESSING BELOW
• 2 crushed garlic
• 1 red chilli chopped
• 3 tspn white sugar
• half cup lime juice
• quarter cup fish sauce
• quarter cup rice vinegar
• 1 cup chopped mint

Method

1. For mint dressing, pound garlic, chilli and sugar in a mortar and pestle to a coarse paste (2-3 min) add mints and pound to combine. Just before serving, stir in lime juice, fish sauce and rice vinegar.
2. Heat vege oil in a saucepan or deep-fryer. Combine flour and chilli in a shallow bowl. Dust whitebait in flour mixture and deep-fry until crisp and golden (4-5 min) then drain on absorbent paper.
3. Combine mango, herbs, fried shallot and spring onion in a large serving bowl, add whitebait and drizzle with a little mint dressing. Toss and serve with extra mint dressing and lime wedges.

Notes

Fabulous summer lunch to share with friends