Thailand - Yam Yai

Yam Yai

Salad Ingredients

-       Chinese lettuce (or other broad leafed veggie) to form a base for the saladbowl.

-       cup of onion, sliced

-       cup of tomato wedges

-       cup of cucumber, sliced

-       cup prik chi fa (Thai jalapenos), julienned

-       cup of broccoli florets, blanched

-       cup of bean sprouts

Instructions

Line a serving bowl with the lettuce leaves, then toss the other ingredientsand place on the lettuce, garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves, lime leaves, thinly sliced shallots, and julienned spring onions.

Dressing Ingredients

-       cup of lime juice

-       cup of peanuts

-       2 tablespoons light soy sauce

-       2 tablespoons [rice] vinegar or nam makham piag (tamarind juice)

-       2 tablespoons nam tan paep (palm sugar)

-       1 tablespoon prik ki nu daeng haeng (dried red chilis), ground

-       1 tablespoon khao koor (toasted rice)

Instructions

In a dry skillet or wok, toast the peanuts until light golden brown, allow to cool and crumble (a few sharp blows with the flat of a cleaver should suffice, and avoid turning them into peanut butter, as the use of a foodprocessor is inclined to).

Toast 2 tablespoons of uncooked long grain rice (either white or brown, totaste), and then when cool, grind to a coarse powder (khao koor).

Combine the ingredients to form the dressing, and place in a small bowl.

Serving

Thai salads are not served 'dressed', this being left to the diners. If available you could also add a few of the different Thai dips (nam prik kiga,nam prik kapi are suitable for vegetables, and can be adapted to vegetarian/vegan life styles without serious loss of authenticity).