In Good Taste: Thai Salads
I love Thai salads. They make you chew, and whilst chewing you will be thinking about all the different flavours you are tasting, all of them clean, refreshing and healthful. Pretty much a meal in one, these recipes are easy to prepare beforehand, only needing to be tossed together and dressed at serving time. They’re perfect to eat in the shade of a tree on a hot summer evening, when all you crave is to feel nourished and revived, rather than full. A platter of fresh fruit to follow is always enjoyed, especially as melons, peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots are all so delicious right now.
The Thai name for grilled beef salad is nahm dtok. This name, literally meaning “water falling”, comes from the beads of meat juice that form on the side farthest from the heat as the meat grills. This is the cook’s cue to turn the meat, which is usually cooked to medium rare.
Thai beef salad (Serves 2)
2x sirloin or porterhouse steaks
1 small cos lettuce (or similar), washed
½ cucumber, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped out,
thinly sliced
½ cup of coriander leaves
½ cup mint leaves
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup of roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Dressing
1 fresh red chilli (or to taste), seeded and chopped finely
Juice of 2 limes
2 teaspoons of sesame oil
2 tablespoons of sugar dissolved in 2 tablespoons
of hot water
Splash of fish sauce (if you like it)
1 finely chopped shallot
Mix the dressing ingredients together in a cup and set aside.
Heat your BBQ and when hot, cook the steaks on each side as above. Set aside to cool. Toss the salad ingredients together and pile onto a platter. When ready to serve, thinly slice the beef across the grain, and scatter over the salad. Pour over the dressing and toss gently. Sprinkle over the peanuts and serve.
The following salad is adapted from one of Nigella’s and is just as clean and crisp as the one before.
Chicken and Mint Salad
Combine these dressing ingredients together in a bowl and set aside for half an hour:
1 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 tablespoons of lime juice
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
1 teaspoon of rice vinegar
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 small onion finely sliced
Salad
2 cooked and cooled chicken breasts, finely sliced
and roughly torn into pieces.
200g green cabbage, finely sliced
1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
2 radishes, coarsely grated
1 cup of mint leaves
1/3 cup of roasted and coarsely chopped peanuts
Place all the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss well to combine. Taste for seasoning and serve.
Now here’s a good idea for all those enormous cucumbers that are taking over the crisper compartment of your fridge. Use as much or as little chilli as you wish. It’s easier to add some more later than it is to try and take some away. This is great with BBQed fish, chicken or beef. I like lots of coriander, but for those of you who have yet to become friends with this audacious herb, then mint is a good substitute. Don’t mix the mint through until serving time or it will discolour.
Cucumber and coriander salad
1 cucumber, sliced lengthwise and seeds removed with
a teaspoon.
1 carrot
6 tablespoons of rice vinegar
6 tablespoons of warm water
2 teaspoons of caster sugar
½ teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 shallots (or ½ a red onion), finely sliced
2 radishes, finely sliced
1 large handful of coriander leaves (or mint), roughly
chopped
Slice the cucumber into half moons and the carrot into julienne sticks or any shape you prefer. Put the vinegar, water, sugar and salt into a glass bowl and stir to dissolve. Add all the remaining ingredients. Leave to stand for 15 minutes. Serve at room temperature.
Fiona Feasey
