What is "Nam Tok"?

Nam tok literally means "falling water" or "waterfall," so you might have seen this steak called "waterfall salad" on some menus. The name refers to the dripping (i.e., falling) of meat juices as it’s being grilled; so the one requirement for this dish is that the meat has to be grilled. There are two common types of nam tok: one made with pork, usually grilled pork jowl, and the other made with beef.

Ingredients and Notes

Ingredients for the Steak Marinade

This marinade is a simplified version of my ultimate steak marinade recipe because the steaks are going to get even more flavour from the salad.

• Grilling steaks. Pictured are picanha steaks, also known as "top sirloin cap," but any other grilling steaks can be used. In Thailand, tri-tip is quite common.
• Oyster sauce. Check out this post for how to choose the best oyster sauce.
• Soy sauce. Watch this video for a soy sauce 101.
• Sugar
• Water
• Neutral oil
• Black pepper

Ingredients for the Salad

• Uncooked jasmine or glutinous rice for making toasted rice powder
• Makrut lime leaf (optional, not pictured). This is for adding fragrance to the toasted rice powder.
• Cilantro
• Mint
• Shallots
• Lemongrass
• Shallots
• Sawtooth coriander (optional, not pictured)
• Roasted chili flakes - You can simply toast some plain chili flakes in a dry skillet over low heat for just a minute or so, until it darkens slightly and smells smoky. Or toast whole chilies, then grind.
• Fish sauce. Learn more about choosing the best fish sauce here.
• Lime juice
• Water
• Sugar
• Thai sticky rice, for serving. This salad is always paired with sticky rice and I highly recommend it. Check out this post for how to make sticky rice.

How to Make Thai Grilled Steak Salad

Here's a bird's eye view of how to make neua yang nam tok, but be sure to watch the video tutorial first to ensure success!

1. Make the marinade by combining all ingredients.
2. Marinade steaks for at least 2 hours.
3. Grill the steaks, flipping at least twice for more even cooking.
4. I recommend medium to medium-well doneness for this recipe. Rare steaks don't hold up as well in this salad.

5. Toast the rice with a makrut lime leaf in a dry skillet or wok until browned.
6. Grind into a powder.
7. Slice the steak and place into a mixing bowl, adding any juices collected during resting.
8. Add all dressing ingredients and the toasted rice powder and toss.

9. Toss in all the fresh herbs.
10. Serve immediately with sticky rice!

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Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients and Notes

Here are ingredients you'll need and important notes about them. For amounts, see the full recipe card below.

• Red curry paste - Using store bought red curry paste is fine, most Thai people do! BUT it's important to choose a good brand as that can make or break your curry. I recommend Maeploy, Aroy-D, or Namjai in that order, and you can see my full review of red curry paste here. If you're feeling ambitious, you can absolutely make your own! Here's my homemade Thai red curry paste recipe.
• Coconut milk - This is what makes the curry rich and creamy, and it's important to use good quality, full-fat coconut milk. See this post on how to choose the best coconut milk.
• Chicken thigh - I highly recommend using chicken thighs over breast so that it can have time to braise in the liquid so it will become tender and load the curry sauce with more chicken flavour.
• Chicken stock - you can theoretically use water, but for maximum flavour, go with chicken stock. You can use store bought or homemade stock, but make sure it's unsalted or at the very least low-sodium because the curry paste and fish sauce are both quite salty already.
• Fish sauce - fish sauce is the key seasoning for all Thai curries! If you're allergic to fish, soy sauce can be used instead. It's important to choose good quality fish sauce, and you can read more about how to choose good fish sauce here.
• Palm sugar - it is traditional to use palm sugar, but light brown sugar or granulated sugar are fine substitutes in this case because the curry is strongly flavoured, so it won't much much difference.
• Kabocha squash - I love using kabocha squash for red curry as the creamy sweetness pairs so well with the curry. However, feel free to substitute other vegetables - Thai eggplant and bamboo shoots are common vegetables for Thai curries.
• Thai basil - If you don't have it, regular Italian basil will do.
• Red pepper - this is added just for some colour. Red bell pepper will do, or anything mild.

How to Make Thai Red Curry Chicken

Here's a bird's eye view of the process. For full instructions, see the recipe card below, and I also recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success!

1. Wash the kabocha squash and slice off any woody blemishes off the skin, but otherwise the skin can be left on. Remove the seeds and cut into bite-sized cubes. (If you have leftover squash, try using it in this stir-fry recipe.)
2. Bring ½ cup of coconut milk to a boil, add curry paste and stir to break up lumps.
3. Continue cooking and reducing over medium high heat until it is very thick and the coconut oil starts separating from the curry paste.
4. Add the chicken and toss to mix with the paste and add the remaining coconut milk.

5. Add the chicken stock, half of the fish sauce, and the palm sugar, then simmer for about 8 minutes.
6. Add the squash, then simmer on low heat for another 6-8 minutes or until the squash is cooked through.
7. Taste the sauce and add more fish sauce as needed. Be sure the make it strong-tasting as it'll be served over plain rice.
8. Turn off the heat and stir in Thai basil and red peppers, if using. Enjoy!

Substituting Other Proteins

Anything and everything, but make sure you change the cooking time to match your protein of choice! Everything works with red curry - pork, beef, seafood, you name it.

You can check out my pineapple red curry recipe and a vegan red curry with tofu here as examples. While other curries in Thailand have common meat pairings, for example massaman is usually paired with chicken or beef, the basic a Thai red curry can take any and all proteins.

This is because the flavours of red curry is "basic" relative to other curries, meaning it doesn't have a lot of spices (compared to Thai massaman curry, for example), so the flavours can go with anything from delicate fish to gamey beef.

Substituting Other Vegetables

I like using kabocha squash because creamy squash and red curry is one of my absolute favourite flavour pairings.

While you can use a different kind of squash or whatever vegetables are available to you, here are a few common pairings in Thailand: Thai eggplant, pineapple, winter melon, and bamboo shoots (see the green curry recipe for how to deal with bamboo shoots).

Is it better to make the curry paste from scratch?

Homemade red curry paste can taste better, but not necessarily. I want to get this misconception out of the way because it hinders many people from making Thai food. You do not have to make the curry paste in order to make "legit" curry, and most Thai people do not make their own curry paste.

Growing up in Thailand my family always bought curry pastes, with the exception of very simple curries such as the sour curry or gaeng som. Go to any markets in Thailand and you'll see mounds of curry pastes people but in bulk.

Making curry paste from scratch is not something I'd do on a weeknight. Even if you're using a power tool to help as shown in my red curry paste recipe, gathering ingredients is no small feat. And just because you made the curry paste from scratch, does not mean you'll end up with a better curry! There are some very good curry pastes on the market that can rival homemade ones.

So when I make curry paste, I do it more for the experience of it. It connects me to the dish and the cuisine in a deeper way, it's a labour of love, and I love it when I can really taste the difference between mine and the store bought one. Or sometimes I make it because it's not available to buy, such as the paste for kao soi.

How to Make Gai Lan Oyster Sauce Stir Fry

Here's a bird's eye view of all the steps. If this is your first time, I recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success!

1. Slice thicker gai lan stems on a sharp diagonal. For thinner stems, cut into 1-2 inch pieces.
2. Cut the leaves into roughly 2" chunks, dividing wider leaves in half if needed, keep the leaves and stems separated.
3. Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, water and sugar; stir to dissolve the sugar completely.
4. Pound the garlic until broken into chunks, alternately smash them with the side of your knife and roughly chop.

5. In a wok, cook the garlic over medium low heat until smallest bits turn golden.
6. Add the stems and cook for about a minute.
7. Add the leaves, the sauce mixture and the white pepper and turn the heat up to high. Toss for about 30 seconds or just until the leaves are wilted.
8. Once the leaves look wilted but not totally collapsed, turn off the heat and plate immediately. Do not overcook as the leaves can become chewy; you want the leaves to still have some freshness and volume to them when you turn off the heat as they will continue to wilt on the plate.

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Recipe Card

Gai Lan Oyster Sauce Stir-Fry (Chinese Broccoli)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 27 reviews

• Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 3-4 servings
• Cuisine: Thai

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Ingredients

• 300 g gai lan, aka Chinese broccoli, preferably smaller stems
• 6-7 cloves garlic
• Optional: 1-2 Thai chilies, if you want it spicy
• 1½ Tbsp oyster sauce 
• ½ Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp water
• ½ tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp ground white or black pepper, or to taste
• Jasmine rice for serving

Ingredients and Kitchen Tools I Use

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Instructions

1. Cut thick gailan stems on a sharp bias into thin slices. Thinner stems can be chopped into 2-inch pieces. Once you get to the leaves, cut them into bite-sized chunks. Keep the stems and leaves separated.
2. Then add garlic and pound just until they look "shredded" (see video for visual). You can also smash the garlic with the side of your knife and roughly chop. If using chilies, pound them along with the garlic or roughly chop.
3. In a small bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and water; stir until the sugar is dissolved.
4. In a wok, fry the garlic in a little oil over medium-low heat for a minute or so until light golden. Don't use high heat as you want the garlic to have time to soften and infuse the flavour into the oil.
5. Add gai lan stems, turn heat up to medium and cook for about 30-45 seconds.
6. Turn the heat up to high, then immediately add gai lan leaves, the sauce, white or black pepper, and cook for only about 30-45 seconds. Remove from heat immediately once the leaves look wilted but not completely collapsed. Do not overcook, the residual heat will wilt the leaves further, and the leaves also get chewy when cooked too much. 
7. Serve immediately with jasmine rice. Enjoy!

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Ingredients and Notes

Here are all the ingredients you need and important notes about them. For amounts, see the recipe card below.

• Thai red curry paste. I recommend Maeploy or Aroy D brands as they have the strongest flavours and this recipe is made using these pastes. Other brands can also be used, but you may need to adjust the amount of the paste and saltiness. See my thorough review of common red curry paste brands here.
• Coconut milk. See my post on how to choose good coconut milk here.
• Palm sugar, finely chopped or grated. You can also substitute equal amount of light brown sugar for this recipe.
• Fish sauce
• Eggs, large.
• Makrut lime leaves, finely julienned. If you don't have them you can omit.
• Any kind of fish filet or seafood. The most common choice is white fish such as bass or tilapia, but salmon would also work. You can also use shrimp, squid, or shellfish (without the shells). If you don't eat seafood: You can sub bite-sized pieces of chicken, preferably dark meat but breast would be okay too. I don't recommend pork or beef or anything that would become tough if overcooked because you won't be able to control precisely how long the meat cooks in the custard.
• Shredded cabbage or other sturdy leafy veg. The veggies are added at the bottom of the custard for texture, so you want to use sturdy veggies such as cabbage, kale or Chinese broccoli leaves.
• Thai basil
• Banana leaves, optional. You can buy banana leaves frozen at many Asian grocery stores.
• Jasmine rice, for serving. Like a regular curry, haw mok is always eating with jasmine rice!

Garnish

Garnishes by default are optional, but without them it can definitely look a bit plain. Haw mok come with a standard set of garnishes to add some colour to the top:

• Coconut milk
• Cornstarch, this is to thicken the coconut milk so it stays put on the custard. It can be replaced with any other thickening starches such as rice flour or all-purpose flour.
• Sliced red chilies or julienned red bell pepper
• Cilantro or another green herb you've got on hand. To keep it simple you can julienne extra makrut lime leaves and use that as a garnish. You can also use Thai basil for garnish, but be sure to serve it right away as basil turns dark once it comes into contact with hot food for a while.

How to Make Haw Mok - Step by Step

Here's a bird's eye view of the steps to give you an idea of what's involved. For the complete instructions, see the recipe card below. If this is your first time, I recommend watching the video tutorial in the recipe card to ensure success.

1. Add a splash of coconut milk to the curry paste and stir to loosen the paste. Once the paste is loose, add the remaining coconut milk and stir until the paste is dissolved.
2. Add the eggs, fish sauce, sugar, makrut lime leaves and stir to combine.
3. Add the fish and stir to mix.
4. Line the ramekins with strips of banana leaves if desired, then line the bottom with steamed cabbage and/or kale and Thai basil.

5. Distribute the pieces of fish evenly among the cups.
6. Ladle the custard over the fish, leaving at least ½ inch of headroom to allow for some puffing.
7. Steam on medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until set.
8. Garnish with thickened coconut milk, chilies and cilantro or more julienned makrut lime leaves.

Advance Prep and Storage

This is a great dish to make in advance of a dinner party or just for meal prep. There are a few ways to do it.

• You can steam the whole thing in advance, then re-steam to reheat before serving. Leave the garnish until just before serving.
• The custard mixture can be made ahead of time, without the fish, and kept in the fridge for a few days. Add the fish the day you're cooking.
• If using banana leaves, I recommending cutting and cleaning them ahead of time. I find this part a bit of a hassle cuz it gets messy with all the banana leaf trimmings everywhere, so doing it on a separate day helps. Once cleaned and cut, store in a well-sealed container in the fridge to keep it from drying.

Any leftover haw mok can be kept in the fridge for up to a week. The best way to reheat is to steam, but you can microwave it as well. To microwave, I would use no more than 50% power to ensure the custard is evenly heated through and prevent it from exploding as eggs tend to do in the microwave...so cover it with something!

Haw Mok Modifications

This is a very flexible dish that you can exercise your creativity on. Here are some things to try:

• Change the curry paste. Use green curry paste instead of red curry paste! You can also try other curry pastes as well but green would be the best pairing with seafood.
• Change the protein. Instead of fish, try making haw mok talay which uses a mix of fish, squid, shrimp and sometimes mussels. You can do crab for a luxury version. You can even use chicken or pork, or opt for a no-meat version!
• Change the size. You can make tiny little cups which are always cute and would cook quickly, just make sure you cut the fish down smaller. You can also do one large one in a big dish, which I have done and it ends up looking very impressive, but cooking time will increasing to about 50 minutes so be patient!
• Add different veggies. In this recipe I use cabbage and/or kale, but you can definitely try other things that won't become too watery or mushy.

What is Som Tum? And What is Som Tum Pla Ra?

Som tum is the generic term for pounded salads that are made in a mortar and pestle. You can make som tum using many ingredients, but the original one is made using green papaya, which is simply the underripe version of an orange papaya.

In most Thai restaurants overseas, there is only one type of papaya salad on the menu, and that is typically a Thai style papaya salad or som tum thai. But in Thailand, we have many kinds of papaya salads, and one very popular kind is som tum pla ra - a.k.a. som tum lao. It's so named because it uses pla ra, a fermented fish sauce that is commonly used in Laos, hence its alternate name. You can read a lot more on this ingredient below!

Compared to Thai style papaya salad, som tum pla ra does not use dried shrimp, peanuts, and tends to be less sweet. 

Ingredients & Notes

Here are all the ingredients you need and some important notes about them. For amounts see the recipe card below.

• Garlic
• Thai chilies, fresh or dried. Add as many as you like depending on your heat tolerance. Some people prefer fresh chilies, others prefer dried, so it really doesn’t matter which you choose and you can even do both. Arbol chilies are a great dried chili option for som tum. If you prefer it milder, instead of adding less chilies I recommend removing the seeds and pith so you keep the chili flavour in the salad. 
• Palm sugar. Finely chop the sugar so that it will dissolve readily, especially if you do not have a mortar and pestle for making the salad. If you don’t have palm sugar, light brown sugar will work as a substitute.
• Long beans. These are optional for tum lao though I quite like the flavour and colour that they add. If omitting, you can simply add more papaya or carrots, or you can substitute blanched green beans. Note: Long beans can be eaten raw but green beans cannot, so make sure you give green beans a quick 1-min blanch in boiling water, then shock them in ice water so they remain crisp. 
• Tomatoes. You can use regular tomatoes cut into wedges, or grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half.
• Fresh lime juice. Emphasis on fresh as it makes for the best flavour, and we also need the skin to add some extra aroma!
• Tamarind paste this is a sour seasoning that is optional, but I like the complexity that it adds to the salad. If not using, you can substitute more lime juice. You can buy tamarind paste premade, but I prefer making it from pulp. You can read more about tamarind here, and if you want to make your own, here's my homemade tamarind paste recipe. 
• Pla ra fermented fish sauce. This is the identifying ingredient, without which you cannot make this recipe! More on this below.
• MSG (optional), I never call specifically for MSG, but for this style of papaya salad it is usually added. So if you want your salad to taste like it does in northeastern Thailand, then a little pinch is recommended 🙂.
• Julienned green papaya. Green papaya is an unripe papaya that has a crisp, firm, and neutral-flavored flesh. Choose the type that is large (not the small Hawaiian ones) sold at many Asian grocery stores. Don’t have papaya? Read about papaya substitutes below.
• Julienned carrots. This is optional, but a handful of julienned carrots adds a pop of colour that makes this salad much prettier! 
• Pumpkin seeds, toasted. I am using these as a sub for kratin seeds, which are seeds of the river tamarind plant. They look similar to pumpkin seeds, and both add a nuttiness to the salad.
• For serving:
  - Sticky rice is a classic accompaniment.
  - Crispy pork rind (store bought) add a nice fatty crunch.
  - Vietnamese style rice vermicelli (kanom jeen) is amazing with this. You can serve them on the side or mix a small bundle right into the salad. Note: Vietnamese rice vermicelli are the round, slightly thicker noodles like ones I use in my kanom jeen namya recipe, whereas Thai rice vermicelli are the super thread-thin Thai ones. 

How to Make Som Tum With and Without a Mortar and Pestle

The word "tum" in som tum means to pound, which is the technique of pounding ingredients in a mortar and pestle. But don't worry if you don't have a mortar and pestle, or if you only have a small one; below I show you 2 different ways to make som tum, with and without the mortar and pestle.

*If you have a mortar and pestle but it is too small for the salad, simply do everything in your M&P right up until it's time to add the papaya, then transfer into a mixing bowl and switch to the hand method.

But first...you have to julienne the papaya

Here are 3 different ways to julienne green papaya. The julienning techniques are much easier understood by video, so I recommend watching the video tutorial if you've never done it before!

Method 1 - Traditional method: use a chef's knife and chop-chop-chop to make many incisions on the papaya, then use the knife to shave off a layer and you should get beautiful uneven sticks.

Method 2 - Julienne peeler. You can buy a Thai julienne peeler at many Asian stores and online (Kiwi brand). This is what I do at home as it's convenient and fast. Note that the first layer you peel off will be stuck together into a sheet, which you simply have to hand-chop into sticks.

Method 3 - Hand chop. If method 1 is too scary, and you don't have a peeler, you can also just hand chop it! It's slow but it will work. Halve the peeled papaya, scrape off the seeds, and thinly slice into sheets, then chop the sheets into sticks.

How to Make Som Tum in a Mortar & Pestle (traditional method)

1. Julienne the papaya and carrot using one of the methods shown above.
2. In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and chilies until there are no big chunks.
3. Add the palm sugar and pound until it is melted into a paste.
4. Add the long beans and pound until they are broken.

5. Add the tomatoes and pound gently to smash and release the tomato juices, then use a large spoon to scrape the sugar off the bottom of the mortar and let it mix in with the juices.
6. Add the lime juice, fish sauce, tamarind, pla ra and MSG (if using), then use a spoon to stir and mix. If using a mortar that's too small for the papaya, transfer to a mixing bowl and continue to step 7 of the hand massage method below.
7. Add the julienned papaya and carrots and do the "pound and flip" method - pound a few times, then use the large spoon to flip the papaya to distribute the dressing, then repeat the pounding and flipping a few more rounds until everything is well mixed and the papaya is wilted slightly.
8. Plate and garnish with pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!

How to Make Som Tum without a Mortar & Pestle (Hand Massage Method)

1. Combine the finely chopped palm sugar, fish sauce and lime juice, then stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved. You'll still have some chunks, but leave them for now.
2. Grate or press the garlic into a mixing bowl. Then finely mince the chilies and add them to the bowl as well.
3. Use whatever you have to smash the long beans until they're split open, then cut into 2-inch pieces.
4. Back to the dressing, stir it well, then use the back of a spoon to mash any remaining sugar lumps which should now easily dissolve. Then add the tamarind, pla ra and MSG (if using).

1. Add the long beans and tomatoes, and use a gloved hand to massage the tomatoes to smash and release the juices.
2. Add the dressing and mix well.
3. Add the papaya and carrots and hand-massage everything until well mixed and the papaya is wilted slightly.
4. Plate and garnish with pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!

What is Pla Ra and Where to Find it?

Pla ra (or padaek in Lao) is a fermented fish sauce. But unlike regular fish sauce (nam pla) which is also fermented, it is made from freshwater fish rather than anchovies. Pla ra can be made from a variety of fish, but gourami is a common one. It is thicker, funkier and absolutely packed with umami.

Unlike regular fish sauce which is a commercial product that most people buy, pla ra is an ingredient many people still make still at home, though nowadays you can also buy it. But because it’s historically a homemade item, the flavour of different pla ra varies greatly depending on the recipe used. Some people add various herbs such as lemongrass and makrut lime leaves, others add pineapple juice or even pandan leaves. 

Where to buy pla ra? You can find pla ra wherever you find your Thai ingredients. Most of the time it'll be available at Asian grocery stores that carry a good amount of Southeast Asian ingredients. You can also buy it online; here's the brand I use and like and it is a good beginner pla ra that isn't overly funky and is well seasoned (not sponsored, but the company did send the product for me to try).

When shopping, the labelling can often be confusing as it often is labelled simply as "fish sauce." So make sure the liquid inside is cloudy and thick, and the colour can vary from grey to brown. Ingredients should include fish, salt, and some seasonings, and it may also contain herbs, rice bran or some kind of rice product.

Note: The Vietnamese also have a similar product called mắm nêm, which is available at some Asian markets, and you can use it in place of pla ra *in theory.* However, I don't have much experience with it and don't know the extent to which their flavours can vary between brands. So if possible I would stick to Thai brands to ensure the right flavours.

Substituting Green Papaya in Som Tum

Green papaya can be hard to find and in some places they can be expensive. But the good news is you can make som tum using a number of vegetables that are firm, crunchy, and have a relatively neutral flavour. Here are some options:

• Kohlrabi. This is probably the best sub in terms of colour, flavour, and ease of use. Simply peel the head and julienne it into sticks. The flavour is similar to broccoli stems.
• Broccoli stems. Now you have a reason to buy broccoli with the giant stem attached! Before you julienne, peel off the tougher skin on the bottom part of the stem, but once you get close to the crown the skin is thin enough that it doesn't need to be peeled.
• Premade broccoli slaw mix. If you can find bagged julienne broccoli slaw mix, which is made from broccoli stems, this is a convenient option.
• Cabbage. The flavour will change, and taste quite distinctly of cabbage, but it is still a delicious salad. I even have a purple cabbage som tum in my cookbook SABAI: Simple Weeknight Thai Recipes.
• Cucumber. In Thailand we make tum tang gwa which is som tum made from cucumber and it's super tasty; and I also have a recipe for a corn and cucumber som tum. If working with an English cucumber, you can remove the seeds to make it less watery, but if using smaller cucumbers the seeds can be left in.

Advance Prep Tips

You can actually make som tum up to an hour ahead of serving time and it'll hold up quite well if you wrap and put it in the fridge. If you want to get ahead of the prep, here are things you can do.

• Julienne the papaya and carrots up to a few days ahead, and keep it in a sealed container in the fridge.
• Make the dressing ahead of time (garlic, chilies, and all the seasonings) and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to use, pound the long beans and tomatoes, then add in the dressing and the papaya.

What is pad pak ruam?

Pad means "stir-fry," pak means "vegetables," and ruam means "mixed," so it's very straight-forward! Though you often see pad pak ruam on menus of Thai restaurants overseas, in Thailand, this is very much home cooking.

Because Thai people eat family style, every meal is made up of multiple dishes, so no one dish needs to be "complete." So we have a lot of dishes that are mostly meat, and others, like this one, that is mostly veggies, and things balance each other out. Learn more about how Thai people eat here.

The vegetables can be flexible, and indeed I often use this dish as a "fridge cleanout," so the veggies in the recipe are just suggestions. I included several kinds in my version to give you ideas about things that work well, you can make this dish with just 2-3 veggies, no problem!

Ingredients and Notes

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe and important notes about them. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

Sauce

You can use this sauce to stir fry just about anything, and indeed it's very similar to my universal stir fry sauce recipe!

• Oyster sauce. The queen of Thai stir fry sauce. Read more about how to choose good oyster sauce here.
• Soy sauce, any kind will do, but best if you have Thai soy sauce and my preference is Healthy Boy Mushroom Soy Sauce.
• Golden Mountain sauce, is another kind of soy sauce that has a slightly different flavour. You can substitute Maggi Seasoning or fish sauce instead, or simply use more soy sauce. Here are types of soy sauces explained.
• Water
• Sugar. Just a wee bit to balance the salt.

The Stir Fry

Again I repeat: these veggies are just suggestions and ideas. You do not need all of these vegetables, just a few kinds will do, but ideally you want a good mix of colours and textures.

• Carrots, "roll cut" for some cool shapes (you can see the video for technique), or simply cut them into thin sticks. Don't make them big, remember with stir fries you only have a few minutes in the pan.
• Cauliflower, SMALL florets. Again they won't have much time to cook in the wok so these should smaller than what you imagine a "floret" normally is.
• Green cabbage, bite-sized pieces. I prefer Asian cabbage (the squat ones) as they're sweeter and more delicate, but regular cabbage is fine.
• Chinese broccoli (gai lan), stems thinly sliced on a diagonal, leaves roughly torn into chunks
• Sugar snap peas, strings removed, which is done by snapping off the stem-end and pulling downward, and the strings on the sides of the pea should come away (see pic below). I like to then cut them in half on a sharp diagonal as allows the sauce to penetrate the otherwise impenetrable pods, making them more flavourful.
• Shiitake mushrooms, fresh, cut into slices. You can use any other kinds of mushrooms here.
• Garlic, roughly chopped
• Thai chilies, optional, only if you want to make it spicy. Most of the time this dish is done with no chilies in Thailand, but I wanted to include it here to give you the option. I like to just crushed the chilies with the side of a knife just until broken and the heat will gently infuse into the sauce so it's not overwhelmingly spicy.

How to Make Mixed Vegetable Stir-Fry ผัดผักรวม Pad Pak Ruam

Here's a bird's eye view of the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success!

1. Organize your vegetables in order they are added to the pan: Bowl 1 with firm veggies: carrots and cauliflower in this case. Bowl 2 with softer veggies: Cabbage, snap peas, gai lan stems, and mushrooms. Bowl 3 with anything leafy, like gai lan leaves.
2. In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
3. In a wok or a large saute pan on medium high heat, add a little vegetable oil, garlic and chilies and saute until small bits of garlic turns golden.
4. Add the firm veg in bowl 1 and a splash of water, and stir for 1-2 minutes or until they're about halfway cooked. Adding more water as needed.

5. Add bowl 2 of vegetables and the sauce and toss until the vegetables are done to your liking, 1-2 minutes.
6. Add gai lan leaves or anything leafy.
7. Toss just until the leaves are wilted, 20-30 seconds, and off heat.
8. Enjoy with jasmine rice!

What is a Thai "Yum"?

In Thai cuisine, a yum is a type of Thai salad that uses a dressing made from fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and chilies. It's sour and spicy, and well balanced with a little sweetness and a good dose of umami; which is why everyone loves a yum and it's an important part of a Thai meal.

You can make a yum from just about any ingredients, which is why it's the most common type of salad in Thailand, but the dressing remains more or less the same, with a few variations. This makes it easy because with just one dressing, you can make so many salads!

But before you think, wait, doesn't that make all my salads taste the same? Not at all! Unlike Western style salads where the identity of the salad is tied to the dressing (caesar salad = caesar dressing), the identity of Thai salads are in the main ingredients used. The dressing is there to season and give it that bright, fresh flavours that we enjoy as a balancer of richer dishes in a meal. It's kind of like sandwiches, you can keep the same bread and condiments, but by changing the meat, you change the whole sandwich!

Most of the common yum we eat in Thailand are centered around a protein main ingredient, such as this yum neua yang (grilled steak salad) or this yum tuna (tuna salad). However, yum can also be made with noodles or vegetables as the main ingredient, such as this glass noodle salad or wing bean salad.

Imitating a Yum Shop in Thailand

This recipe was actually inspired by a video I saw of a raan yum or a yum shop in Thailand. Typically a yum shop is a stall in the market, but it can also be a restaurant, and it’s a bit like a salad bar - they have a bunch of ingredients for you to choose from, you tell them what you want, and they mix it up for you with their yum dressing.

But unlike western salad bars with a ton of different dressings on offer, the yum shop would have just 1 or 2 dressings. Definitely they’ll have The classic yum dressing, and maybe they’ll have 1 or 2 of the jazzed up versions that I'll show you below. Or perhaps they have only the basic dressing but with two different spice levels. But that’s it. This goes to show you the magic of the yum dressing, it works with everything!

Ingredients and Notes

The ingredients you need for a Thai yum salad dressing are super simple. Here are some important notes about them, and for amounts, see the full recipe card below.

• Thai red chilies. You'll be hard pressed to find a Thai salad that is not spicy, so chilies are an important component. If your heat tolerance is low though, either use milder chilies if you can find them, or scrape the seeds and pith out of your chilies to reduce the heat instead of using fewer chilies. That way you'll keep the chili flavour!
• Garlic. This is actually optional but I find it does add a flavour that I like; and if you love garlic, you'd love it too.
• CIlantro roots or stems. Also optional, but if you already have some, I recommend adding it for a more complex flavour.
• Fish sauce. It is important to use good quality fish sauce for this as it is a main flavour. See this post for how to choose good quality fish sauce here.
• Lime juice. Use freshly squeezed lime juice for the best flavour here, no bottled lime juice!
• Palm sugar. Palm sugar adds not only sweetness but a lovely flavour to yum dressing, if you don't have it, light brown sugar can work. You can also try to change it up and use honey or even maple syrup! Learn more about palm sugar here.

How to Make a Basic Thai Salad Dressing

Here's a bird's eye view of the process, for the full instructions, see the recipe card below.

1. Pound garlic, chilies, and cilantro stems into a paste. (If you don't have a mortar and pestle, alternative methods are in the recipe card.)
2. Add the palm sugar and pound until it is dissolved into a paste.
3. Add the fish sauce and lime juice; stir to mix.
4. It's now ready to use!

Variations: 3 Ways to Jazz Up Your Yum Dressing

Though the basic dressing works on everything, sometimes you might want to try something a little different. Here are 3 common ways we change up the basic dressing:

Jazz #1: Replace some of the palm sugar with Thai chili paste.

The basic dressing is quite light, so if you want a richer dressing, adding Thai chili paste is the way to go. Aside from richness, it also adds a lovely and a unique flavour. You can add more or less Thai chili paste, but remember that chili paste is sweet, so the more you add, the less sugar you need. Different brands of chili pastes are not equally sweet, so some tasting and adjusting is needed here.

Jazz #2: In addition to the chili paste, you can also add coconut milk. 

This makes for a creamier dressing with a wonderful coconut flavour. Note that coconut milk is typically added in addition to chili paste, although you can try adding only coconut milk to the basic dressing if you wish - I don't think it would be bad!

Jazz #3: For those who loves funky flavours, replace some of the fish sauce with pla ra or shrimp paste. 

Pla ra is a type of fermented fish sauce that's different from your regular fish sauce in that it is made from freshwater fish instead of anchovies, and it is much thicker as it has a lot of the fish bits dissolved into the sauce. It has a funky flavour that some people cannot live without, and it's packed with umami. I love a pla ra dressing because it feels more full-bodied. You can add as much or as little as you want depending on the level of funk you desire, but the more you use, the less fish sauce you'll need as they are both salty.

Fermented shrimp paste (gapi) is also a salty, funky ingredient, but it has a very different aroma. I personally prefer a pla ra dressing than one made with shrimp paste, but it is here for you as an option. Though if you've have never had shrimp paste before, putting it into a salad is not how I would suggest trying it the first time! I'd probably go with shrimp paste fried rice as a first.

You can substitute plara for fish sauce at a 1:1 ratio. For shrimp paste, I would add just 1 teaspoon to the basic dressing, and reduce fish sauce to 1 ½ Tablespoons. Tasting and adjusting is important here once again as different brands are not equally salty.

*This is the plara I like (not sponsored) but you can also get this pla ra from Amazon which I've never had but heard good things about it. Rule of thumb for buying pla ra: modern brands with herbs and seasonings added tend to be more beginner-friendly. If the packaging looks old school and very "authentic," and the ingredients look simple, it tends to be quite intense and these must be used with caution!

What To Put into A Thai Salad?

You've got the dressing, now what do you put in the salad? First of all, no salad greens. Thai salads, as you're about to see, are all about protein and noodles, and the veggies play a minor role; and even then, no leafy greens.

Let’s go through some of the most common yum ingredients to give you some ideas of what you can use - and I’ve divided them into 3 categories, the main ingredient, the veggies, and the herbs and toppings.

Main Thai Salad Ingredients

Most Thai salads are centered around a protein. Any kind of protein will work, but here are some options:

• Cooked seafood: shrimp, squid, fish, shellfish, you name it. Most of the time these are simply blanched in water until cooked, but you can also pan fry or even deep fry them.
• Raw seafood: Raw seafood goes very well with this kind of dressing! Any sashimi grade fish works, but in Thailand we also often eat raw shrimp and raw shellfish. Make sure the seafood you're using is safe to eat raw. Also see my salmon sashimi salad.
• Cooked meat - Cooked chicken, thinly sliced steak, pork chops...this is a great way to use up any leftover meats! Rotisserie chicken from the supermarket, shredded up and tossed in a yum dressing is a great inexpensive meal idea!
• Processed meats - Asian meatballs, Vietnamese ham, and hot dogs are all commonly added to Thai salads. This is a really convenient option.
• Eggs - Crispy fried egg salad or yum kai dao is a classic Thai yum that is to die for. But you can also make boiled eggs salad, or even salted duck eggs salad.
• Noodles - Glass noodles, as in yum woon sen, and instant noodles as in yum mama are the most common. But you can also make yum kanom jeen which uses Vietnamese style rice vermicelli
• Ground pork or chicken - this is actually more of a supplement protein we like to add when the main ingredient is not meat. So when the main ingredient is eggs, noodles, or even seafood, a little ground pork is nice for that extra flavour and texture. Simply cook ground pork in a dry pan until it's all broken up and cooked through.

Veggies

Veggies play a secondary but important role in a Thai salad. While they're rarely the star, the add freshness and crunch to the salad. Here are some common options:

• Onion
• Tomatoes
• Chinese or regular celery
• Carrots
• Sweet corn
• Cucumber
• Chinese broccoli stems, blanched

Sometimes the veggies play a bit more of a major role, but even these situations, protein is usually still added to supplement, such as in the classic wing bean salad.

Herbs and Toppings

Herbs and toppings seem like minor flourishes, but they can really add to the flavour and complexity of your salad. Pick any of the following:

• Cilantro
• Green onions (cilantro and green onions are added to almost all Thai salads as default herbs.)
• Lemongrass, thinly sliced
• Mint
• Shallots
• Roasted peanuts
• Roasted cashews
• Fried Shallots, store bought or use my homemade crispy fried shallots recipe.

Storage and Advance Prep

If you want to have Thai salads regularly, you may want to make a bigger batch of this dressing and keep it for multiple uses. But here's what you need to know:

You can keep the yum dressing in your fridge for up to a week. Beyond one week, it'll still be good to eat because with so much chilies, lime and salt (all have preservative qualities), it would take a long time to spoil. BUT the flavour of the lime juice is best when it is freshly made, so I try not to keep it for too long.

Can you freeze the dressing? Yes, and it will prolong the flavour of the lime juice. But I have to note that though I haven't personally done it, my guess is that it won't freeze solid because of so much salt in the dressing. This is fine, and makes it easier to use even, but just in case you were thinking about making ice cubes out of them...that may not work. But let me know how it goes if you try it!

If you want to make a large batch to freeze, you can also omit the garlic and cilantro stems, as these fresh ingredients also shorten the shelf life of the dressing. You can add them when you make the salad.

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

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Ingredients and Notes

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe and some important notes about them. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

• Pork stock or chicken stock, unsalted. In Thailand this would most likely be pork stock, so use that if you want to recreate the exact Thai version, but chicken stock would also be just fine. For the right flavour, homemade Thai style stock is best. Here are my recipes for Thai style pork stock and chicken stock.
• Garlic
• White peppercorns
• Cilantro stems or cilantro roots
• Shrimp, cut into small chunks, plus a few extra whole ones for garnish if you so desire.
• Fish sauce, see my post on choosing good fish sauce here.
• Soy sauce
• Cooked jasmine rice, if you have had trouble cooking jasmine rice, see my post here on how to cook perfect rice without a rice cooker. Having said that, this recipe would work perfectly with rice that you might have accidentally overcooked or under cooked, it's a great way to use it up!

Optional Condiments

• Fried garlic & garlic oil, this is made simply by frying garlic in oil. It takes less than 10 minutes to make and it keeps well so you just have to make it once. I always keep a stash in my fridge as we use it to finish all kinds of dishes, especially noodle soups. See my fried garlic recipe here. *You can buy fried garlic from Asian stores, but you won't get the garlic oil which is arguably the more flavourful part!
• Green onion and/or cilantro, for some greenery 🙂
• Chinese preserved cabbage (optional), this is called tang chai in Thai and it is salty, crunchy bits of preserved (salted) cabbage. It is okay to omit this as it's hard to find, it just adds salty bits to the soup which is nice.
• Extra ground white pepper, to taste.

How to Make Thai Breakfast Rice Soup with Shrimp (Kao Tom Goong)

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

1. Pound white peppercorns until fine, then add garlic and cilantro stem/roots and pound until fine.
2. Add half of the garlic mixture to the small pieces of shrimp and mix well. 
3. Saute the small pieces of shrimp in a pan with a little bit of oil just until it's cooked through.
4. If you're not using a nonstick pan and there is some bits of herbs stuck to the pan, deglaze the pan with a splash of stock to release the tasty bits of herbs. Then remove from pan and set aside.

5. If using whole garnish shrimp, sear the whole shrimp over medium high heat until browned and cooked through, set aside. 
6. Bring the stock to a boil in a pot, add the other half of the garlic paste and simmer for one minute. Then season the broth with fish sauce and soy sauce, then taste and adjust seasoning.
7. When ready to serve, bring the broth to a boil then add the rice and the shrimp. Bring the soup back to a simmer, and immediately turn off the heat (if you let this simmer for a long time the rice will swell up and absorb too much stock).
8. Serve immediately, if you let this sit, the rice will continue to absorb liquid. Ladle into a bowl, and top with all the condiments as desired. Enjoy!

Advance Prep Tip

If you're not an early bird and need breakfast to be quick, it's totally doable! Once components are prepped, it takes just minutes to get it on the table. You can even prepare it for the week. Here's what to do:

Up to a week ahead, cook the rice, the broth, the shrimp, and the fried garlic and keep them in the fridge (in separate containers). Comes time to eat, bring the broth to a boil, and while you wait you can chop up the cilantro/green onions and set the table.

Once the broth boils, add the rice and the shrimp and let it heat up thoroughly for a few minutes, et voila! Gourmet Thai breakfast in minutes!

Recipe Card

Thai Breakfast Rice Soup with Shrimp (Khao Tom Goong)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews

• Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

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Description

A classic Thai breakfast is khao tom, or rice soup. Comforting and satisfying, it's the perfect way to start the day. Once components are prepped in advance, the soup comes together in just a few minutes. This version uses shrimp, but chicken can be used instead.

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Ingredients

• 3 cups pork stock or chicken stock, unsalted (homemade is best, here's a recipe!)
• 3 cloves garlic
• ¼ tsp white peppercorns
• 6 cilantro stems or 2 cilantro roots
• ~150g shrimp, cut into small chunks, plus a few extra whole ones for garnish if you so desire
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• ½ Tbsp soy sauce
• 3 cups cooked jasmine rice (this amount is flexible depending on whether you like thick or brothy soup)

Optional Condiments

• Fried garlic & garlic oil
• Green onion and/or cilantro, chopped
• Chinese preserved cabbage (tang chai)
• Extra ground white pepper if needed

Ingredients and Kitchen Tools I Use

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Instructions

1. Pound white peppercorns until fine, then add garlic and cilantro stem/roots and pound until fine. Add half of this paste to your small pieces of shrimp and mix well. 
2. Saute the small pieces of shrimp in a pan with a little bit of oil just until it's cooked through. Deglaze the pan with some stock as needed and scrape any bits of herb stuck to the bottom. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. If using whole garnish shrimp, sear the whole shrimp over medium high heat until browned and cooked through, set aside. 
4. Bring the stock to a boil in a pot, add the other half of the herb paste and simmer for one minute.
5. Season with fish sauce and soy sauce, then taste and adjust seasoning.
6. When ready to serve, bring the broth to a boil over high heat then add the rice and the shrimp. Bring the soup back to a simmer, and immediately turn off the heat (if you let this simmer for a long time the rice will swell up and absorb too much stock).
7. Serve immediately, if you let this sit, the rice will continue to absorb liquid. Ladle into a bowl, and top with all the condiments as desired. Enjoy!

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Ingredients and Notes

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

Thai Peanut Dressing

• Large, mild dried chilies, such as puya or guajillo peppers, but anything that's not too spicy will work. You can find these at Latin American stores.
• Shallots
• Garlic
• Ground coriander, I like to grind coriander from seeds because store bought pre-ground coriander tends to be stale and lacks aroma.
• Coconut milk, check out the post on how to choose good coconut milk.
• Water
• Roasted peanuts. It’s best to buy raw peanuts and roast them yourself because the flavour is so much better than using pre-roasted peanuts which can often be stale. I'm including roasting instructions below.
• Tamarind paste. You can buy tamarind paste for cooking, also labeled as "tamarind concentrate" but always make sure it is tamarind from Thailand! Indian tamarind paste is different and cannot be used in the same way. You can also make it from pulp using this homemade tamarind paste recipe.
• Palm sugar, finely chopped. You can also sub light brown sugar. Read more about palm sugar here.
• Salt or fish sauce. If you don't need this to be vegetarian, I recommend using fish sauce for extra umami.

Salad Components

Note: These are all classic components of a salad kaeg, but feel free to change things up! My only tip is that because the dressing is rich, make sure you have some sturdy veggies in the mix as delicate leafy greens will be easily overwhelmed by the dressing.

• Greens: any kind you like, but I recommend including sturdy leaves such as iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce. Delicate greens alone will not hold up well under the rich dressing.
• Cucumber, sliced
• Tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, cut in wedges, or cut cherry tomatoes in half.
• Carrots, cut into thin sticks or juliennes. Using a julienne peeler makes easy work out of this
• Boiled eggs. The doneness is up to you, but for this I personally like boiling for 9 minutes for large size eggs which will get you doneness as per the photo above.
• Fried firm tofu. Deep fried tofu is traditional and it gives them a nice chewy texture, but you don't need to fry the tofu if you prefer then fresh. You can also pan fry them in a little oil just until browned on both sides, or toss the tofu in oil and air fry them at 400°F (200°C) until browned.
• Potato chips or fried potato sticks. Totally optional but they add a super nice crunch!
• Fried shallots. You can buy fried shallots from Asian grocery stores, but making your own is also an option. I also like to bake store bought fried shallots to refresh them and get them crispier. See more details in my fried shallots recipe here.

How to Make Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

To roast peanuts:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Place peanuts on a baking sheet and spread them out into one layer and roast for 15-20 minutes. After 10 minutes, stir the peanuts around. Check them often once they are close to finish, they burn fast!
2. Remove from oven after they have turned golden brown. Once they are cool, grind them into a coarse meal (not peanut butter!) in a mortar and pestle or a food processor.

Note: If you have extra roasted peanuts, store them in the fridge to prevent them from going rancid. For even longer storage, put them in the freezer.

Make the curry paste:

1. Cut the dried chilies into chunks with scissors and remove all the seeds.
2. Add them to a coffee grinder along with the coriander seeds and grind into a powder.
3. In a mortar and pestle, pound together shallots, garlic, ground chilies and coriander into a paste (does not have to be super fine).
4. Bring ¼ cup of the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it is reduced and thick.

5. Once it is thick, continue to cook the paste for one more minute, adding a splash of coconut milk if it is sticking to the bottom.
6. Add the remaining coconut milk and stir to dissolve the paste.
7. Add the water, ground roasted peanuts, tamarind, palm sugar, and salt. Simmer the dressing for 20-30 minutes over low heat, until thickened to the desired consistency, scraping the bottom frequently to prevent it from scorching.
8. I like the dressing to be on the thicker side, but if you prefer a lightly dressed salad you can make it thinner by adding a splash of water. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, making sure it's got a strong flavour since it will be served with lots of veggies. Let it cool a bit before drizzling over your salad!

What are wing beans?

Before we get into the recipe, for those unfamiliar, here are some wing bean basics. Wing beans, or tua pu in Thai are like green beans with 4 little "wings" extending around them. So when you slice them, the look like little 4-point stars ✨! The middle are crunchy, with a relatively neutral, slightly nutty flavour, very much like green beans.

You can buy wing beans from some Asian grocery stores. Here in Vancouver I see them occasionally at various stores, but not all the time, so when I do see them, this is 100% the dish I make to celebrate the find!

Ingredients and Notes

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe and some important notes about them. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

• Wing beans or green beans. You can find wing beans at many Asian grocery stores.
• Chicken breast
• Shrimp, this is traditionally added but it is optional. You can stick with just the chicken, or conversely, use only shrimp.
• Shredded coconut, unsweetened, toasted. You can toast the coconut simply by adding it to a dry skillet and stirring it over medium high heat constantly until they are deep brown. (see video for desired colour.)
• Roasted peanuts, finely crushed. If possible buy raw peanuts and roast them yourself in the oven and they'll taste much better!
• Shallots, thinly sliced
• Eggs, for making boiled eggs. Though technically optional, this is a classic accompaniment to yum tua pu and they are so good together! The dressing soaks into the egg yolks and it's just uber tasty, so I recommend not skipping it!
• Mint leaves.

Dressing:

• Lime juice, fresh lime juice is best for this recipe.
• Fish sauce. See my guide on how to choose good quality fish sauce.
• Thai chili paste, also called nam prik pao. This is a key flavour in yum tua pu. You can buy nam prik pao at Asian stores, or make your own using my Thai chili paste recipe (it's not hard!)
• Coconut milk, read more about how to choose good coconut milk here.
• Garlic, grated or minced
• Thai chilies, finely chopped
• Sugar. Be prepared to adjust this amount as the Thai chili paste's sweetness can vary between brands.

How to Make Wing Bean Salad

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

Prep The Proteins - Chicken, shrimp and eggs:

*We typically poach our chicken and shrimp, but you can also cook them however you like - grill, bake, etc.They just need to be cooked one way or another. You can also use leftover roast chicken for this.

1. For the eggs: Slowly add the eggs into a pot of boiling water and boil them for 8 minutes - this gets you medium-cooked eggs. Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the eggs (cuz you'll need to water so don't drain it) and put them in cold water to cool.
2. For the chicken: Turn the temperature of the water down to about medium or medium low so the water is rapidly steaming, but not bubbling (this should be 165-175°F). Cut a chicken breast in half lengthwise (you only need half for this recipe). Salt the water until the water tastes like a well-seasoned soup, then add the chicken and poach until the chicken is fully cooked, about 7 minutes. Remove the chicken (keep the water) and once cool enough, pull into shreds with your hands.
3. For the shrimp: In the same pot you used to cook the chicken, bring the water to a boil and add the shrimp and poach them until done; 30 sec-1 min. Remove from water and cool.

For the Salad

1. Blanch the wing beans in a large pot of boiling salted water for 1 minute, then remove from water and immediately add them to a big bowl of ice water.
2. Drain well and slice beans into ¼-inch slices crosswise. If using green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces on a bias.
3. Toast the dried coconut in a dry pan over medium high heat until it's got a deep brown colour; immediately remove from the pan.
4. Grate the garlic with a microplane into the bowl, then add finely minced chilies.

5. Add the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, Thai chili paste and stir until the chili paste is dissolved. Add the coconut milk and stir to mix.
6. Add wing beans, shallots, and peanuts; toss to mix well.
7. Add the chicken, shrimp and toasted coconut and mix well.
8. Transfer onto a serving plate and serve alongside halved medium-boiled eggs. Serve with jasmine rice.

Wing Bean Salad (Yum Tua Pu)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review

• Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: Serves 3-4

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Description

One of the most interesting and unique Thai salads, and also one of my favourites! Crunchy wing beans are tossed in a dressing enriched with coconut milk and Thai chili paste. With shredded chicken and poached eggs, it's filling enough to be a meal! You can sub green beans if wing beans are not available. 

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Ingredients

• 175g wing beans or green beans
• ½ chicken breast*
• 6-8 shrimp*
• 3 Tbsp shredded coconut, toasted (see video for how to toast coconut on the stove)
• 1 Tbsp roasted peanuts, finely crushed
• ½ head shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 eggs (estimate about 1 egg per person)
• ⅓ cup mint leaves

Dressing:

• 3 Tbsp lime juice
• 1.5 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp Thai chili paste
• 3 Tbsp coconut milk
• 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
• 2-3 Thai chilies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp sugar

Note: I'm providing instructions for poaching the chicken and the shrimp; however, you can cook them using whatever methods you wish (grill, bake, steam, sauté, etc.).

Ingredients and Kitchen Tools I Use

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Instructions

Poaching chicken and shrimp: Heat a pot of water until 165 degrees Fahrenheit (water is steaming heavily but isn’t simmering yet), salt the water until the water tastes like a well-seasoned soup, then add chicken and poach until done, about 7 minutes or longer if poaching a whole breast. If you have a thermometer, the internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 F. Remove chicken and cool. Add shrimp and poach them until done; remove from water and cool.

When chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat into shreds.

Blanching beans: Bring a large pot of water to a full boil and add enough salt until the water tastes like a well-seasoned soup. Add the wing beans and cook for 1 minute—it's important to use a large pot of water so that the water temperature doesn't drop drastically; if not using a large pot, cook in batches. Remove from water and immediately add them to a big bowl of ice water. Drain well and slice beans into ¼-inch slices crosswise. If using green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces on a diagonal.

Make medium-boiled eggs: Bring water to a full boil, gently lower eggs into the water and boil for 8 minutes. Remove from pot and immediately submerge them in a bowl of cold water. Peel them once cool enough to handle.

Assembly: Combine all dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir until the chili paste is dissolved. Add wing beans, chicken, shrimp, shallots, toasted coconut, peanuts and mint; toss to mix well. Transfer onto a serving plate and serve alongside halved medium-boiled eggs.

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The Most Important Component: Nam Jim Seafood

There are really only 2 components to this dish, salmon and dressing, and the success of this dish relies entirely on the dressing (assuming your salmon is fresh). The dressing is in fact a sauce that's extremely important within Thai cuisine called nam jim seafood.

"Nam jim" means dipping sauce, and seafood, well, is seafood. It is the sauce that Thai people dip all kinds of seafood in. In fact, Thai people never do seafood without it, and sometimes we dip non-seafood in it as well (try it with crispy pork belly!)

I have shared a recipe for nam jim seafood before that was an all-purpose dipping sauce, but this recipe is slightly different as it was developed specifically to work in this application. You can, however, use this recipe as an all-purpose seafood sauce as well.

Ingredients and Notes

Here are all the ingredients you'll need and important notes about them. For amounts, see the the full recipe card below.

• Salmon. You want to buy salmon that is safe for eating raw, so when shopping, ask your fishmonger if it's okay for sashimi. I buy mine (from Sungiven for folks in Vancouver) frozen and specifically labelled as "sashimi salmon." More on this below.
• Garlic, you'll need some for the sauce, and if you want, some for garnish. Yes! Garlic for garnish! At Jeh O they put thinly sliced raw garlic on top and I was surprised to find that it actually tastes great together with the salmon. Just make sure you slice it really thin otherwise it'll be overpowering.
• Chilies, I use red Thai chilies for this, and feel free to reduce or increase the amount depending on your heat preference.
• Cilantro, stems and leaves all together.
• Lime juice, fresh only for this recipe!
• Fish sauce, read more about choosing good fish sauce here.
• Palm sugar, or light brown sugar. Learn more about palm sugar here.
• Salt, this is to replace some of the fish sauce to reduce the overall amount of liquid so that the sauce isn't too runny.

Step-By-Step:

Here's a bird's eye view of the process. The full instructions are in the recipe card below, and if this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success!

1. Blend all sauce ingredients until there are no more big chunks, but there are still some small bits. The amount in the recipe will likely be too small for a jug blender, so a bullet or immersion blender is great for this. Instructions for using a mortar and pestle is also provided in the recipe card.
2. Cut the salmon first so the pieces are about 2-inches wide, then slice them into ¼-inch thick strips.
3. Toss the salmon with the dressing.
4. plate and top with garlic slices, mint leaves, and lime slices for garnish, if desired. Eat it soon or it'll turn into ceviche!

Love seafood? You'd also love these!

Korean and Chinese Mung Bean Jelly Dishes

I first came upon the idea of homemade glass noodles not from a noodle recipe, but from a Korean mung bean jelly appetizer in Maangchi's cookbook. I was intrigued because these are cubes of jelly made from mung bean starch just like glass noodles.

Sometime later I walked by a Uyghur restaurant in my neighborhood, and they had a "mung bean jelly noodles salad" on their sandwich board. This intrigued me further and sent me researching, which is when I discovered a Chinese dish called liang fen. The process of making these noodles looked so cool yet so easy that I just HAD to try it.

The recipe I ended up landing on is different from the aforementioned dishes, particularly in regard to the starch-to-water ratio (which is really all there is to this recipe!). I used a higher starch ratio that I think yielded the perfect texture for the size of the noodles that I ended up with.

Ingredients for Homemade Glass Noodles

You need only two ingredients to make homemade glass noodles (mung bean jelly noodles), but you will need a couple of tools.

• Mung bean starch. I am using the classic Thai brand of mung bean starch, Pine Brand, who sponsored this post. If you cannot find it, Korean grocery stores also carry mung bean starch, it is called Cheongpomuk-garu. Well-stocked Southeast Asian markets and Chinese markets are also worth checking out.
• Water. That's it!

A couple of tools you'll need:

• Large hole grater. I loooove this Microplane extra coarse grater (pic below) which worked perfectly and yielded the perfect size noodle. This is also my go-to grater for everything else - cheese, zucchini, carrots, etc. - because I find it to be easier to handle than a box grater and takes up wayyyy less room!
  Note: They do sell liang fen graters online made specifically for this job, but they do have bigger holes and will create bigger noodles. I have not personally tried using it.
• A rectangular mold. You will need a heat resistant container that is no larger than 8x8 inches. A glass food storage container or a loaf pan is perfect.

Ingredients for the Glass Noodle Salad

Here are all the ingredients you'll need for the salad; for the amounts, see the recipe card below.

• Garlic
• Soy sauce, I used Japanese soy sauce for this one.
• Sugar
• Rice vinegar
• Toasted sesame oil
• Green onion, you can also add chopped cilantro, mint, or other fresh herbs.
• Chili crisp or chili oil. This really makes the dish. A Sichuan style chili crisp such as lao gan ma is great for this and is what I use.
• Roasted peanuts, chopped, or sub toasted sesame seeds (optional)
• English cucumber
• Carrot, feel free to sub other crunchy veg.

How to Make Fresh Glass Noodles

1. Pour about ⅔ of the water into a medium pot and bring to almost a simmer over high heat. Meanwhile, stir the mung bean starch together with the rest of the water.
2. Once the water steams and bubbles start to form (but it is not simmering) reduce the heat to medium high, then give the starch slurry a stir and pour it into the pot while stirring.
3. Keep stirring CONSTANTLY until the thickens into a white paste.
4. Once it turns white, keep stirring until the paste turns translucent. Once it is no longer changing and everything looks evenly translucent, remove from heat.

5. Pour into the prepared mold and let cool to room temp, then chill for at least 3 hours and ideally overnight where it will solidify and firm up.
6. Pop the chilled jelly out onto a clean work surface.
7. Use a grater to grate the jelly, creating noodles, by applying even pressure as you pull the grater towards you.
8. There're your noodles! These are ready to use now, but for a more elastic texture and clarity I recommend blanching them.

9. Blanch the noodles in boiling water.
10. Once the noodles turn translucent (about 10 seconds) they are done.
11. Drain and cool them by running them under cold tap water. They are now ready to use!
12. Combine the ingredients for the salad dressing together, pour over plated noodles and place the veggies on the side. Mix it up before you eat!

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Ingredients and Notes

Here are all the ingredients and important notes about them. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

• Pork shoulder or pork loin. I prefer using pork shoulder because it's more flavourful and juicy, but I try to choose pieces that are on the leaner side as you don't really want too many big pieces of fat on it. Pork shoulder can be a bit tricky to work with because of its irregularity, so pork loin or tenderloin can be used instead though be very careful not to overcook these as they are lean and can become dry. Be sure to slice the pork against the grain for max tenderness.
• Soy sauce
• Oil
• Cornstarch. Cornstarch is added to the marinade, and when blanched, the starch will form a very thin layer of gel around the pork which helps keep the juices inside. This technique is called velveting.
• Garlic
• Thai chilies. You can add as many as you want here to customize the spice level.
• Palm sugar. Palm sugar will yield a dressing with more complex flavour. If you don't have it, substitute light brown sugar. Read more about palm sugar.
• Lime juice. Only fresh lime juice for this, no bottled!
• Fish sauce. It's important to use good quality fish sauce as it is a main ingredient. Read about how to choose good fish sauce.
• Cilantro
• Shredded cabbage. You can also do a mix of cabbage and shredded carrots, broccoli stems, kohlrabi, basically anything you'd eat in a slaw.
• Fresh mint leaves.
• Some crunchy fresh veg of your choice (optional). This is extra, but we typically serve moo manao with some raw Chinese broccoli, and you can use the leaves as a wrap and munch on the stems. But really, this could be any fresh veggies you like. Peeled broccoli stems, cucumber, carrots, kohlrabi, celery, or even serve this with some lettuce leaves if you want to wrap it.

How to Make Spicy Garlic Lime Pork "Moo Manao"

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

1. Combine pork with soy sauce, water and oil and mix well. Then add the cornstarch and mix well.
2. Marinade for at least 20 minutes and up to overnight.
3. For the dressing, in a mortar and pestle, pound garlic and chilies into a paste.
4. Add the palm sugar and pound until mostly dissolved. Then add fish sauce and lime juice and stir to mix. Stir in chopped cilantro.

1. Bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Prepare a big bowl of warm water on the side for rinsing the pork. Place the pork in a wire skimmer (no fine mesh) or a spider then blanch pork in the boiling water for 15-30 seconds, stirring the pork a bit to spread them apart.
2. Remove the pork as soon as it's done—the pork overcooks very quickly in boiling water! Dunk the skimmer into the bowl of warm water and shake it around to remove any bits of velveting and drain well.
3. Line the serving plate with shredded cabbage and any side veggies.
4. Place the pork on top of the cabbage in one layer, then spoon the dressing evenly over the pork. Top with mint leaves and enjoy!

Recipe Card

Thai Spicy Garlic Lime Pork "Moo Manao"

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.7 from 3 reviews

• Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 2 appetizer servings

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Description

One of Thailand's best-kept secrets: moo manao. Tender juicy sliced pork with a spicy, garlicky lime dressing. It's a classic drinking food, but it's great any time, served with rice as a meal or on its own as an appetizer!

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Ingredients

• 200g pork loin or pork shoulder, very thinly sliced against the grain (see note)
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp water
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1-2 Thai chilies, to taste
• 1 ½ Tbsp palm sugar
• 3 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 4-5 springs cilantro
• ~ 2 cups shredded cabbage
• Some crunchy fresh veg of your choice (see note)
• A few sprigs of mint

Ingredients and Kitchen Tools I Use

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Instructions

1. Marinate the pork: Combine pork with soy sauce, water and oil and mix well. Add cornstarch and mix well, and let marinade for at least 20 minutes.
2. Make the dressing: In a mortar and pestle, pound garlic and chilies into a paste. Add palm sugar and pound until mostly dissolved. Add fish sauce and lime juice and stir to mix. Stir in chopped cilantro.
3. Prepare the plate & veg: Line the serving plate with shredded cabbage. For your side veggies, if using Chinese broccoli, separate the stems and leaves, then peel the outer skin of the stems. Soak the veg in ice cold water to keep them crisp and cold until ready to serve. If using broccoli stem, peel the skin off first. 
4. Cook the pork: Bring plenty of water to a full boil. Prepare a big bowl of warm water on the side. Place the pork in a wire mesh skimmer or a spider (see video) then blanch pork in the boiling water for 15-30 seconds, stirring the pork a bit to spread them apart. Remove the pork immediately as soon as it's done—the pork overcooks very quickly in boiling water! If using lean pork such as loin, remove it as soon as the outside looks done; you want the inside to still be medium to prevent it from being dry. Dunk the pork into the bowl of warm water to rinse off any bits of velveting and drain well.
5. Plate: Place the pork on top of the cabbage in one layer, then spoon the dressing evenly over the pork. Top with mint leaves and serve with a side of veggies.
6. Enjoy!

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Notes

1. I like to use pork butt (collar butt) because it has more flavour and fat, but it's kind of a hard piece to work with because it's such an irregular shape. You can also use pork loin, which is leaner and easier to work with, but I would suggest buying a loin roast, not chops, so you can easily slice the pork against the grain. And if using loin, be EXTRA careful not to overcook the pork because it is very lean and will be bone dry if overcooked. Aim to cook it to medium doneness if using loin. 
2. We typically serve moo manao with some raw Chinese broccoli, and you can use the leaves as a wrap and munch on the stems. But really, this could be any fresh veggies you like. I use peeled broccoli stems, but you can do cucumber, carrots, kohlrabi, celery, or even serve this with some lettuce leaves if you want to wrap it.

*This is an old video and I spelled the dish as larb back then. I (and you) know better now 😉.

Ingredients and Notes

Here are ingredients you'll need for an authentic Thai green curry and important notes about them. For amounts, see the full recipe card below. The bamboo shoots are a common vegetable used for green curry, but feel free to change it up. And if you are DIY-minded and have time, here's my homemade green curry paste recipe.

• Thai basil
• Bamboo shoots, canned. You can use the strips of sliced version. If you don't like bamboo shoots, you can also substitute Thai eggplant, cut into thin wedges, or winter melon, cut into 1-inch chunks. But you will need to allow more cooking time and adjust accordingly: Thai eggplant needs 3-4 minutes, and wintermelon about 10 minutes. If using chicken breast the eggplant/wintermelon will have to go in before the chicken.
• Red bell pepper, or any kind of red pepper. This is added just for colour.
• Green curry paste, store bought or homemade. If using store bought I recommend Maeploy, Aroy-D, or Namjai brands. Do not use Thai Kitchen brand as it is very weak, or if you must, you'll need at last double the amount called for. See my curry paste review for details.
  If using my recipe for the homemade green curry paste, you can put the entire batch of paste into this curry recipe, unless you're afraid it might be too spicy, then you can hold back a bit. Don't use the amount provided for store bought paste because the above-recommended brands tend to be more concentrated than homemade ones.
• Makrut lime leaves
• Full fat coconut milk, I recommend Aroy-D in paper carton.
• Fish sauce
• Palm sugar, or sub granulated or light brown sugar.
• Boneless skinless chicken thighs. Chicken thighs do make the best tasting green curry, but if you must use chicken breast, the method is a little different and I've provided the details in the recipe card.
• Chicken stock, unsalted. Store bought is fine but you can also use my Thai style chicken stock recipe.

How to Make Thai Green Curry

Green curry uses our basic curry making methods that you'll see in many different coconut-milk-based curry recipes. Once you know how to make a green curry, for example, you basically know how to make a red curry! Here's a bird's eye view of the process, but to ensure success, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial!

1. Optional step: Pound green curry paste and Thai basil leaves for an extra vibrant colour.
2. Get the paste as fine as possible.
3. Reduce the coconut milk until very thick
4. Add the curry paste and saute for a few minutes.

5. Toss chicken with the curry paste.
6. Add coconut milk
7. Add chicken stock
8. Add makrut lime leaves.

9. Add fish sauce and palm sugar.
10. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is fork tender.
11. Add bamboo shoots and cook for a minute until the curry comes back to a boil.
12. Stir in red bell pepper and turn off the heat.

13. Add Thai basil and stir just until wilted.
14. The green curry is now ready to serve with jasmine rice! Note: The makrut lime leaves are for infusion purposes only; they are not meant to be eaten when left in large pieces.

How to Make Green Curry Vegan

With a dish so flavourful, making it a vegan is very easy. Here are modifications I suggest below, but I also have a vegan green curry recipe that I have optimized for maximum umami you should check out!

• Use any vegan protein of your choice, and if using tofu I recommend medium-firm tofu, or fried tofu made for soup which I use in this laksa recipe.
• You can also do an all-veggie green curry without any protein. I recommend hearty vegetables such as Asian mushrooms and Japanese eggplant. Sauteing or roasting the vegetables first so that they are browne will make it more robust-tasting.
• Replace fish sauce with soy sauce, salt, or vegan fish sauce.
• Use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock. Or use dried shiitake soaking water as I do in my vegan red curry recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

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What is laab gai? Or is it larb gai?

Let's settle the second question first, the dish is pronounced "laab" without the R. The reason it is often written with R is because, like the British and Australians, Thai people do not pronounce the R when it follows a vowel. So if you're American or Canadian, please pretend you're British for a brief moment when you see "larb" on a menu! (I explain more about this in my video about the madness of spelling Thai words in English.)

Laab is a northeastern Thai salad made of ground meat, and in fact "laab" means to mince in the north/northeastern Thai dialect! The dressing is spicy and tart, made primarily of fish sauce, lime juice, and chilies. It's loaded with tons of fresh herbs and served with sticky rice and fresh veggies.

Gai means chicken, and it's one of the most popular versions served in N. America. In Thailand, however, laab moo or pork laab is the more common one.

Note: This laab is from the Northeast, but there is another kind of laab from Northern Thailand that is entirely different. That laab is called laab nuea or laab kua and it is made with a ton of aromatic spices. If you love spices, try my northern laab (laab kua) recipe here!

Toasted Rice Powder (kao kua)

• Uncooked Thai sticky rice or jasmine rice. Sticky rice is typically used in Northeastern Thailand since that is the rice that's most commonly eaten there, but I prefer jasmine rice because it is more aromatic. Both will work fine.
• Makrut lime leaf (aka kaffir lime leaf, optional, but if you have it I highly recommend adding it cuz it adds such a lovely aroma). More about makrut lime leaves here.

​How to Make Laab Gai (larb gai)

Here's a bird's eye view of the process. If it's your first time I recommend watching the video tutorial first to ensure success.

1. To make toasted rice powder: In a small pot or skillet, add the rice and the makrut lime leaf and toast, stirring constantly, over high heat until the rice has a deep brown colour. Not golden brown, you want it DARK brown. 
2. Transfer into a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Grind until fine (yes, grind the lime leaf too), but if using a coffee grinder, be careful not to over-grind—you don't want it to look like flour, you want it to be like a coarse powder.
3. To make the laab : In a wide pot or medium size skillet, add the water or stock and bring to a simmer over high heat. Then add ground chicken and 1 teaspoon of the fish sauce. Cook, stirring constantly to break up any big lumps, just until it is done. 
4. Remove from heat, then add the shallots and stir to wilt slightly and to make sure all the shallot layers are separated. 

1. Add fish sauce, lime juice, chili flakes, and toasted rice powder; stir to mix well.
2. Add all the fresh herbs except mint: green onions, sawtooth coriander and/or cilantro and stir to mix. Taste and adjust seasoning. If you find the acidity a bit too intense, you can add just a half a teaspoon of sugar to balance, though this is not traditionally added. 
3. Plate and sprinkle the mint on top (the mint is not added into the salad as it turns black in the heat). If you want, garnish with a couple of dried chilies and some crispy chicken skin (which you can make in minutes!). Serve warm or room temperature with sticky rice and fresh, crunchy vegetables such as  lettuce leaves, cucumber, long beans, or cabbage.

​Advance Prep Tips

Though laab is super easy and quick to make, there are a few things you can make in advance to make it even quicker:

• Toast the rice advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge. I recommend not grinding it until you're ready to cook in order to preserve the aroma as much as possible.
• Toast the chili flakes ahead of time.
• The salad can be made ahead of time, but don't add the toasted rice and fresh herbs until just before serving, otherwise the toasted rice powder will absorb all the dressing and make the salad seem dry, and the fresh herbs will wilt. 

Recipe Card

Laab Gai (larb gai) Spicy Thai Chicken Salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 8 reviews

• Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: Serves 2

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Description

Laab gai (aka larb gai) is a spicy and tart chicken salad iconic of northeastern Thai cuisine. It's one of the easiest Thai dishes to make, and so tasty it's no wonder it's one of the most popular Thai dishes around the world!

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Ingredients

• 300 g (11 oz) ground chicken, preferably not lean (if you have the choice, go with dark meat)
• 2 Tbsp (30  ml) water or unsalted chicken stock (don't buy stock for this, use stock only if you already have some)
• 1 Tbsp + 2 teaspoon (25 ml) fish sauce
• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced, about ¼ cup 
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice
• 1-2 teaspoon (5-10 ml) roasted chili flakes or whatever spicy chili powder you have, to taste 
• 2-3 tablespoon (30-45 ml) toasted rice powder (recipe follows)
• 6-8 sprigs cilantro
• 2-3 leaves sawtooth coriander (optional, or sub a little more cilantro)
• 1 green onion, chopped
• ⅓ cup mint leaves, roughly torn if large
• Sticky rice for serving, here's my favourite way to make sticky rice.
• Fresh veggies for serving, this can be cabbage, long beans, cucumber, romaine lettuce, carrots, or whatever crunchy veg you enjoy eating raw.
• Crispy chicken skin for garnish (optional, see recipe here)

Toasted Rice Powder

• 3 Tbsp uncooked Thai sticky rice or jasmine rice
• 1 makrut lime leaf (aka kaffir lime leaf, optional)

Ingredients and Kitchen Tools I Use

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Instructions

To make toasted rice powder:

1. In a dry saute pan, add the rice and the kaffir lime leaf and toast, stirring constantly, over high heat until the rice has a deep brown colour. Remove from heat immediately and transfer into a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder.
2. Grind until fine (yes, grind the lime leaf too), but if using a coffee grinder, be careful not to over-grind—you don't want it to look like flour, you still want a bit of grittiness to it.

To make the laab :

1. In a wide pot or saute pan, add the water or stock and bring to a simmer. Add ground chicken and 1 teaspoon of the fish sauce, then cook, stirring constantly to break up any big lumps, just until it is done.
2. Remove from heat, then, using the pot as  your salad bowl, add the shallots and stir to wilt slightly and to make sure all the shallot layers are separated.
3. Then add fish sauce, lime juice, chili flakes, and 2 tablespoon of the toasted rice powder; stir to mix well. Then add green onions and sawtooth coriander and/or cilantro and stir to mix. Tip: If you're not serving right away, hold the toasted rice powder and stir it in just before serving, otherwise the toasted rice powder will absorb all the dressing and make the salad seem dry, and the toasted rice powder will become slightly mushy. 
4. Taste and adjust seasoning, if the acidity is a bit too intense you can add ½-1 teaspoon sugar or a little more rice powder to help balance the acidity. 
5. Plate and sprinkle the mint on top. Garnish with a couple of dried chilies if you want, and sprinkle with some crispy chicken skin, if using (here's my crispy chicken skin in minutes recipe!).
6. Serve warm or room temp with sticky rice and fresh, crunchy vegetables such as iceberg lettuce, cucumber, long beans, Belgian endive.

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What is Laab Kua?

Let's get the names straight because it is a dish that goes by a few different names. Laab kua ลาบคั่ว is also called laab nuea ลาบเหนือ or laab mueang ลาบเมือง. Sometimes it's referred to as the laab of the province in which it is made - so if you're in Chiang Mai they might call it laab chiang mai, for example. And laab found in different northern provinces can have slight variations, as with most regional foods.

Whatever the name, it refers to a dish made from minced meat - typically but not exclusively pork or beef - and the meat is flavoured with a special spice blend. This spice blend is called prik laab. It is served with fresh herbs, fresh vegetables, and sticky rice is a must.

Laab was originally a dish made for large gatherings. Villagers would butcher a whole animal specifically to make laab for whatever the occasion might be, and it would be a communal effort to make this dish. This is why traditional laab kua uses a lot of offal -and by a lot I mean ALL of the offal - because they wanted to use the whole animal! (But do not worry, for my recipe I've made it homecook-friendly, using only meat and, if you like, liver.)

In Northern Thailand laab is sometimes served raw (called laab dib, dib = raw). Think beef tartare, but with Thai spices! While I don't suggest you do this at home because of the obvious food safety risk (unless you're using sashimi-grade fish), it's an important thing to be aware of when you go to Thailand! And this is why the cooked version that we're making is called laab kua, because kua means to stir in a hot pan.

Ingredients and Notes

Here are all the ingredients you need and important notes about them. It looks like a lot, but you probably have many of the spices at home already! For amounts, see the recipe card below.

The Spice Blend: Prik Laab

Gathering spices for laab kua is really the hardest part, but if you're missing a thing or two, it's fine to skip them. There are many recipes for prik laab; some use more spices, while others use less, so this is by no means the golden standard!

*To save time, you can buy pre-made prik laab here (US only) made by my good friend Chef Hong Thaimee. You can also buy prik laab at most markets in Northern Thailand. If you see other brands, please check first that it is a spice blend for NORTHERN laab, and not just a "laab seasoning mix" which is for the other kind of laab.

• Cumin seeds
• Sichuan peppercorns, I'm adding these as a substitute for a Thai herb called makwaen which is a relative of Sichuan peppercorns. They have similar tingly heat!
• Coriander seeds, do not use ground coriander for this as I find ground coriander doesn't have half the aroma whole seeds do.
• Fennel seeds
• Cinnamon sticks, or ground cinnamon is fine.
• Bay leaves
• Black peppercorns
• Cloves
• Nutmeg, I'm using ground nutmeg here, but you can also grate fresh nutmeg.
• White cardamom, or substitute green cardamom.
• Long pepper, also known as Indian long pepper, has a super unique aroma that is hard to describe, but I get a zingy citrus plus a deep woodsy aroma. You won't find this in most stores, and I bought this online, but it is okay to skip it.
• Star anise
• Dried chilies or chili flakes. In Thailand the chilies are ground up into the spice blend, but for me I like to keep the chilies separate so I can adjust the heat each time depending on who I'm making it for. This means that if you already have roasted chili flakes handy (perhaps from my other recipes!) you can just use that!

The Laab Kua

• Fish sauce. See how to choose good fish sauce here.
• Ground pork or ground beef, I'm using pork. Preferably not too lean.
• Pork liver (optional).
• Garlic, for making fried garlic.
• Shallots, traditionally we fry the shallots crispy and then top the dish with it, using the same oil you used to fry the garlic. I simplify this step by simply just sauteing the shallots into the dish and then topping it with store bought fried shallots (there is enough to do already!). But if you want to make your own, here's my guide to making perfect crispy fried shallots!
• Lemongrass, bottom half only.
• Galangal (optional).
• Cilantro
• Green onion
• Vietnamese coriander. This is called pak preaw in Thai but usually labelled in Asian stores as rau ram, which is the Vietnamese name. If you can't find it, it's okay to omit.
• Sticky rice for serving. Please trust me on this: laab kua is not nearly as good served with regular/jasmine rice. The chewy, dense sticky rice really makes the dish. Here's my favourite method for making sticky rice, if that doesn't work for you, also check out 7 other ways to make sticky rice!
• Accompaniments: fresh crunchy veg such as Asian green cabbage (this is the squat cabbage you find at Asian stores, which is sweeter and crunchier than the ball-shaped ones in Western stores), cucumber, carrots, long beans. It's also very common to serve crispy pork rind alongside laab (we really do use the whole animal!)

How to Make Northern Laab Kua

Here's a bird's eye view of all the steps. If this is your first time I recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success. For the full instructions see the recipe card below.

1. Toast the cumin seeds over medium heat until the darken and start to pop. Remove.
2. Toast the rest of the spices until the coriander seeds darken and start to pop.
3. Toast spicy dried chilies over medium heat until charred spots form. You can also toast chili flakes until they darken slightly.
4. Grind all the spices except the chilies into a powder. Grind the chilies separately into a powder.

5. Combine spices, chili powder, water and fish sauce and stir to dissolve the spices.
6. Pour the spice mixture into the ground pork.
7. Knead the pork with your hands until the spices are evenly distributed.
8. Stir in chopped liver just to mix.

9. Fry garlic in oil over medium low heat until golden and the bubbling has subsided. About 5 minutes.
10. Drain and keep the garlic oil separate from the fried garlic.
11. In a wok, add the garlic oil, shallots, lemongrass and galangal and sauté until the herbs start to turn golden.
12. Add the pork/liver mixture and cook until the pork is fully cooked; making sure to break up the pork so there are no chunks.

13. Off heat, then add cilantro, mint and rau ram (pak preaw) and stir to mix.
14. Plate and top with mint.
15. Sprinkle fried garlic, fried shallots and serve with extra fresh herbs, fresh veggies and sticky rice.
16. If you want to eat laab like a Thai, eat it by hand! Ball the sticky rice up into a dense, small ball, and use your fingers to pinch the laab onto the rice and enjoy!

Tips for Advance Prep

This is a lot of things to do if you do it all in one go, but there are things you can do to make this weeknight-friendly:

1. Make the spice blend in advance. This is the biggest thing to get out of the way as the rest is pretty easy. And once you make it one time, you'll have it for the next several batches.
2. Make fried garlic and garlic oil in advance. I usually have garlic oil and fried garlic in my fridge already cuz I make it in bulk and use it for a lot of things (and you'll want to use it on a lot of things once you have it trust me!). So if you're gonna do it ahead, I recommend making a whole bunch - at least use a whole head of garlic.
3. Make the roasted chili flakes in advance. I also usually have this in the fridge in bulk, and it's so useful for adding heat to anything that needs it!

FAQ: Can You Make Laab Kua with Other Kinds of Protein?

Pork and beef are the most popular options for making laab kua in Thailand, but you absolutely can use any other kinds of ground meat. Lamb would work beautifully with all of the spices in this dish, though ground chicken and ground turkey instead as well, and I would recommend dark meat for both of those.

You can also make laab with fish! Any kind of fish will work. If using fish, you will need to mince the fish yourself as they don't sell ground fish, last I checked :). Simply chop the fish into small pieces and then use a cleaver or a sturdy chef's knife to mince. You can see my laab chicken recipe video for how to hand-mince meats, starting at around minute 3:20.

Worth noting: if you're using sashimi grade fish, you can actually eat it raw! Mince the fish and then mix with the spices, seasonings, and fresh herbs as per the recipe.

To make it vegan, you can use TVP, or crumbled pressed tofu, like the one I used in my Vegan Laab Recipe. I'd recommend mixing it with finely chopped mushrooms for some extra umami and chew, then use soy sauce instead of fish sauce.

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