Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
While the water is heating, take your lotus shoots and cut them into 4 cm pieces.
Fill a large container with water, throw the lotus shoots in. Then, use a chopstick to swirl in the water to remove the unwanted fibers. The fibers will come off on the chopstick and you can discard them. Repeat this step until you can no longer see the fibers.
Rinse through the wholes in every piece of the lotus shoots. If you can still see mud inside them, cut them open and rinse again.
Once your water is boiling, turn the stove to a low simmer and blanch the shoots for about 15 seconds.
Transfer the shoots to room-temperature water with a slotted spoon to stop them from cooking. You can add ½ teaspoon of salt to this water to prevent the shoots from browning.
While the shoots are cooling, make your salad dressing. Coarsely pound the garlic and chilis in a mortar. Add lime juice, fish sauce and sugar and pound until well mixed, making sure the sugar is fully dissolved. Taste-test the dressing and adjust as needed.
Once the shoots have cooled, strain and place them in a salad bowl.
Add every other ingredient and the dressing to the bowl and toss.
Transfer the salad to a serving dish and enjoy.