Chapter 4
Salads with Meat and Chicken
Salads that combine beef, pork or chicken with fresh herbs and vegetables are popular in many Asian cuisines. These salads work especially well as main dish salads, or served on top of rice (see pages 12–13) to make a complete meal in a bowl.
Crispy Pork and Watercress Salad (photo on facing page)
The lemongrass-scented fried pork belly tastes surprisingly light. The coriander-flavored dressing and watercress make this a very refreshing salad.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES
¹⁄₃ red onion
12⁄³ oz (50 g) watercress
5½ oz (165 g) sliced pork belly (8 slices, about ¼ inch / 5 mm thick)
2 tablespoons flour
2 stalks lemongrass, each about 7 inches (18 cm) long
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons Vietnamese Nuoc Mam Dressing (page 15)
2 or 3 lemon wedges, for serving
DIRECTIONS
1 Thinly slice the onion thinly lengthwise. Soak in water for 3 minutes, and then drain well. Roughly chop the watercress and mix together with the onion.
2 Dust the pork with flour. Twist the lemongrass to tenderize it. Heat the sesame oil in a pan over medium heat, and pan-fry the pork and lemongrass until the pork is crispy.
3 Put the pork and lemongrass in a bowl with the dressing and mix to coat. Add the onion and water cress and toss briefly. Serve with the lemon.
Spicy Coconut Chicken with Lemongrass and Coriander
These flavors are unlike any you have experienced, with the taste of lemongrass and the aroma of coconut milk.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES
12 oz (350 g) chicken breast meat
2 stalks lemongrass stems, each about 8 inches (20 cm) long
6 fresh coriander stalks, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon olive oil
A
4 tablespoons coconut milk
1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
One 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
½ raw red chili pepper, thinly sliced with seeds removed
1 tablespoon white wine
1 tablespoon nam pla
1 egg, beaten
DIRECTIONS
1 Cut the chicken at a 45° angle into ½-inch (1.5-cm) widths. Cut the lemongrass in half lengthwise, and into lengths of 1½ inches (4 cm). Roughly chop the coriander.
2 Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, and stir-fry the chicken. When the chicken browns, mix the ingredients in A, and add them with the lemongrass into the pan. Once it starts to boil, reduce to low heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
3 Add in the nam pla and mix to coat. Drizzle in the egg. When the egg is half cooked, quickly stir everything together, and serve on a plate. Garnish with coriander.
Chicken and Shrimp Glass Noodle Salad Yum Woon Sen
Packed with chicken, shrimp and coriander, this hearty glass noodle salad is a great side dish with plain rice. The glass noodles absorb lots of flavor and become really tasty on their own.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES
6 large shrimp (such as black tiger shrimp)
2 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch
1 tablespoon sake
2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 oz (100 g) ground chicken
3 tablespoons Thai Nam Pla Dressing (see page 15), divided
2 oz (50 g) glass or cellophane noodles
2 dried wood ear mushrooms
½ red onion
6 fresh coriander stalks
DIRECTIONS
1 De-vein the shrimp, sprinkle with potato starch or cornstarch, and rub it in. Rinse off the starch. (This cleans the shrimp.) Bring a pan of water to a boil, add the sake and boil the shrimp for 90 seconds. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and leave the shrimp to cook in residual heat (see photo a). When they are cooked through, drain and pat dry.
2 Heat the sesame oil in a pan over medium heat. Stir-fry the ground chicken until it changes color. Add 2 tablespoons of the dressing (see photo b), and continue to stir-fry until there is no moisture left in the pan.
3 Cook the glass noodles in boiling water for two minutes, and then drain into a colander. Pat dry with paper towels (see photo c), and then cut into easy-to-eat lengths.
4 Soak the wood ear mushroom in warm water for 15 minutes. Remove the tough stems. Cook them in boiling water for 2 minutes, and then drain well and slice thinly.
5 Slice the onion thinly, place the slices into a bowl of cold water for 3 minutes, and then drain and pat them dry. Roughly chop the coriander.
6 Peel the shrimp and cut them into ¾ inch (2 cm) long pieces. Put all the ingredients into a bowl, add the remaining tablespoon of dressing and toss well to coat.
This dish is delicious as it is, but you can wrap it in some leafy vegetables such as lettuce for more of a salad texture!
TIP
Thai cuisine is increasingly popular. In Thai, yum means to dress, and woon sen refers to glass noodles. You can modify this recipe as you please, substituting squid for shrimp or chicken breast for ground chicken. The cooked glass noodles are the stars of the show. Properly removing the moisture by patting the noodles dry in a paper towel is an integral step.
Chicken Salad with Chrysanthemum Greens & Peanuts
The chicken in this delicious salad is steamed in an aromatic mix of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and ginger, which gives it a refreshing taste and makes it very tender and juicy too.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES
3½ oz (100 g) chrysanthemum greens (or Swiss chard )
4 green onions (scallions)
2 tablespoons whole unsalted peanuts
10 oz (330 g) boneless skinless chicken thigh
A
Two 8-inch (20-cm) pieces lemongrass stalk (the root ends), cut in half lengthwise
1 kaffir lime leaf
One 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons sake
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon nam pla
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
1 Remove the tough stem ends of the chrysanthemum greens and cut them into 1½-inch (4-cm) pieces. Cut the green onion into 1½-inch (4-cm) pieces. Roughly chop up the peanuts.
2 Butterfly the chicken by making an incision into the thick part horizontally and opening the meat out. Pound the chicken lightly with the side of a heavy kitchen knife to make it a uniform thickness.
3 Put the chicken into a frying pan. Add the A ingredients and turn on the heat to medium. Bring the sake to a boil, turn the heat down to low, cover the pan and steam-cook for about 7 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the pan to cool down for a few minutes. Take out the chicken and slice into bite-size pieces.
4 Add the nam pla to the liquid remaining in the frying pan in Step 3, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice.
5 Put the ingredients from Steps 1 and 3 into a bowl, add the mixture from Step 4 and mix together quickly.
Chicken & Green Onions with Spicy Sesame Dressing
With a rich, sesame-packed dressing with the bite of Szechuan pepper and juicy, flavorful steamed chicken, this salad is simply delicious!
SERVES 2 TO 3
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 20 MINUTES
10 oz (330 g) boneless skinless chicken thigh
A
1 teaspoon ground Szechuan pepper
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or sake)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 thin green onions (scallions)
8 oz (250 g) bean sprouts
B
3 tablespoons sesame paste (or tahini)
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
One 4-inch (10-cm) piece leek (the white part)
½ teaspoon coarsely ground chili pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
DIRECTIONS
1 Place the chicken on a heat-resistant dish and add the ingredients from A to it. Place the dish with the chicken in a steamer, and steam over high heat for about 10 minutes. Reserve the steaming water.
2 Chop the green onions finely. Remove the thin roots from the bean sprouts and place them in a colander. Pour boiling water over the sprouts, and drain well.
3 Put the ingredients in B and ¹⁄₃ cup of the reserved steaming water from Step 1 in a bowl and mix to combine.
4 Cut the steamed chicken into bite-size pieces and arrange on a serving plate. Top with the green onions and bean sprouts, and drizzle on the dressing made in Step 3.
Oven-baked Tandoori Chicken Salad
This dish is so easy to make yet it looks really festive, and is perfect for serving to guests. Not only is the spicemarinated chicken packed with flavor, the vegetables really stand out too.
SERVES 2 TO 3
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 12 MINUTES
10 oz (330 g) boneless chicken breast
A
3 tablespoons plain unsweetened yogurt
1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
One 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
½ teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dry white wine
½ white onion
2 small green bell peppers
4 to 6 cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Ground cumin, to taste (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1 Optionally remove the skin from the chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces and place in a bowl. Add the ingredients from A and rub them into the chicken. Allow to rest for 15 minutes while the flavors penetrate the meat.
2 Cut the onion into 3 wedges. Cut the green bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.
3 Preheat the oven to 430°F (220°C). Put the chicken, onion, green peppers and tomatoes on a baking tray and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake for about 12 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate, and optionally sprinkle with more ground cumin, to taste.
TIP
This recipe combines chicken marinated in a tandoori-chicken-style marinade with vegetables that are baked with the chicken to make a warm salad. Although the vegetables are not seasoned separately, they absorb the flavors of the marinade, which enhances the natural sweetness of the vegetables without drowning them out. Try using other vegetables for this such as cabbage or eggplant.
Crispy Vietnamese Pancakes Bánh Xéo
Combine the stir-fried pork and fresh vegetables with the dressing and stuff them into the pancake just before eating.
MAKES TWO 8-IN (20-CM) DIAMETER PANCAKES
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 20 MINUTES
A
4 tablespoons cake flour
2 tablespoons coconut milk
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 medium egg
4 oz (100 g) boneless pork leg
4 oz (100 g) bean sprouts
Salt, to taste
1 teaspoon sesame oil, plus more for frying
½ red onion
½ red bell pepper
Coriander and mint, to taste
B
½ fresh red chili pepper, chopped
½ teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon nuoc mam
½ tablespoon vinegar
2 teaspoons water
DIRECTIONS
1 Combine the ingredients in A in a bowl, and whisk until smooth. Break in the egg and mix thoroughly.
2 Slice the pork into strips, and remove the thin roots from the bean sprouts.
3 Heat some sesame oil in a frying pan over medium heat, and stir-fry the pork. When it’s cooked through, add the bean sprouts, season with salt and stir-fry briefly. Remove from the frying pan.
4 Wipe out the frying pan with paper towels, add 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil and heat over medium heat. Pour in half of the batter from Step 1 and tilt the pan to spread the batter to the edges.
5 When the pancake is cooked about two thirds of the way, place half of the ingredients from Step 3 on top. Fold the pancake in half. When the bottom is crispy, transfer to a serving plate. Prepare the other pancake in the same way.
6 Thinly slice the red onion and red bell pepper lengthwise. Roughly chop the coriander. Arrange these on the plates along with the pancakes Combine the dressing ingredients in B and serve separately on the side.
TIP
Banh xeo is a popular Vietnamese dish consisting of very crispy pancakes made with coconut milk and turmeric filled with vegetables and meat. It typically combines pork with crispy bean sprouts for the filling and mixes them with a mountain of fresh herbs.
Thai Crispy Pork Salad Yum Moo Yang
Flavorful pork belly, refreshing lemon and spicy onions go together so well! This salad is great as a side dish with rice, or as a drinking appetizer!
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES
½ medium white onion
1 red bell pepper
Sesame oil for frying
1 clove garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
7 oz (200 g) thin pork belly slices
A
2 lemon slices cut into quarters
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon nam pla
¹⁄₃ cup (7 g) mint leaves, loosely packed
8 Thai or holy basil leaves
Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 Finely chop the onion and put it into a bowl of cold water. Soak for 5 minutes, and then drain well.
2 Slice the red bell pepper thinly crosswise.
3 Heat some sesame oil and the garlic in a pan over medium heat. When the oil is fragrant, add the pork. Fry the pork, turning occasionally and wiping out any excess fat and moisture from the pan with a wadded up paper towel until the pork is crispy.
4 Combine the onion from Step 1 and the ingredients in A in a bowl. Add the ingredients from Step 3 and mix. Transfer to serving plates, add the bell pepper, mint and basil, and sprinkle with black pepper.
TIP
In Thai, yum means “to mix,” moo means “pork”, and yang means “to cook with dry heat,” so yum moo yang refers to a mixed vegetable and grilled pork salad. Here, I’ve pan-fried the pork instead of grilling it and combined it with nam pla, lemon, and onion. The keys to this dish are to wipe out the excess fat that comes out of the pork as it cooks, and to drain the moisture from the onion thoroughly.
The refreshing herbs and vegetables enhance the delicious flavor of the beef. The spicy bite of red chili pepper and the crunch of the peanuts add just the right accents.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 5 MINUTES
½ red onion
1 small cucumber
1 fresh red chili pepper
4 lemongrass leaves, each around 8 inches (20 cm) long
2 teaspoons sesame oil
7 oz (200 g) thinly sliced beef (about ¼ inch / 5 mm thick)
3 tablespoons Thai Nam Pla Dressing (see page 15)
12 to 15 Thai or holy basil leaves
2 tablespoons whole unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
DIRECTIONS
1 Thinly slice the red onion. Soak the slices in a bowl of cold water for 3 minutes and drain thoroughly.
2 Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Thinly slice the cucumber diagonally. Finely chop the red chili pepper.
3 Cut the lemongrass into 2–3 pieces each. Heat the sesame oil in a pan over medium heat, and sauté the beef, turning once. When the beef is browned, add the lemongrass and dressing. Mix briefly to coat the beef with the dressing.
4 Transfer the beef to serving plates. Combine the onion and bell pepper, and arrange on the plates with the basil. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts.
TIP
This salad features nua yang, beef cooked over dry heat. It’s often grilled but here I have simply pan-fried it. In this recipe, which I developed based on the memory of a dish I had at a Thai restaurant once, the beef is combined with vegetables and fresh herbs. The pan-fried beef is combined with lemongrass and nam-pla-based dressing to add freshness and flavor. You can use beef offcuts for this recipe.
Korean Beef Tongue and Green Onion Salad
The beef tongue, which has more flavor the more you chew it, and the slight bitterness of the chrysanthemum greens are brought together by the black vinegar dressing in this hearty main dish salad.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES
4 green onions (scallions)
2 oz (50 g) chrysanthemum greens (or Swiss chard)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
7 oz (200 g) sliced beef tongue (available at Korean grocery stores)
A
1 teaspoon white sugar
2 tablespoons black vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 teaspoon coarsely ground red chili pepper
DIRECTIONS
1 Finely chop the green onions. Remove the tough stems from the chrysanthemum greens, and cut the leaves into 1½ inch (4 cm) long pieces.
2 Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the beef tongue and sauté for about 2 minutes, turning it when it changes color.
3 Combine the ingredients from A in a bowl. Add the pine nuts and ingredients from Steps 1 and 2, and mix to coat the ingredients evenly. Sprinkle with the coarsely ground red chili pepper.
TIP
When I visited South Korea, I discovered that people eat grilled meat with lots of vegetables there. This healthy way of eating changed my preconceptions about Korean barbecue, which I’d thought was very meat-heavy. In this recipe I’ve combined the elements of a grilled meat meal into a salad, using pine nuts, which are used often in Korean cuisine, as an accent. Try using loose leaf lettuce or Korean perilla leaves to make this taste even more authentically Korean.
Spicy Korean Salad with Boiled Pork and Perilla
The pork in this recipe is simmered slowly so that all the fat is rendered out, leaving the meat tender and moist. Combined with the spicy dressing, it’s so delicious. The unique flavor of the perilla adds a distinct accent.
SERVES 2 TO 3
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 90 MINUTES
14 oz (400 g) pork loin
¹⁄₃ teaspoon salt
A
One 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and shredded
2 tablespoons sake
4 loose leaf lettuce leaves
4 Korean perilla leaves
2 tablespoons Korean Gochujang Dressing (see page 15)
Ground white sesame seeds, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 Bring the pork to room temperature. Rub the salt into the meat.
2 Bring a pan of water (enough to cover the pork) to a boil and add the ingredients from A. Put the pork in the boiling water, and bring back to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, and simmer the pork for about an hour while skimming off any scum. Turn off the heat and leave the pork to cool in the water until it can be handled. Slice into ¹⁄₃ inch (1 cm) thick slices.
3 Tear the lettuce and Korean perilla leaves into easy-to-eat pieces.
4 Put the ingredients from Steps 2 and 3 into a bowl. Swirl in the dressing, and toss to coat. Transfer to serving plates, and sprinkle with ground sesame seeds, to taste.
TIP
I based this salad on a popular Korean pork dish called bossam. The salad is dressed with a mixture of typical Korean ingredients including gochujang, red chili pepper and sesame seeds, and goes well with white rice. The keys to making the delicious boiled pork are to rub the salt very thoroughly into the meat and to simmer it gently at a low heat.
Spicy Salad with Pork, Mint Leaves and Red Cabbage
This is a very refreshing salad with a spicy-hot bite. The red cabbage mellows out the flavors.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES
7 oz (200 g) thinly sliced lean pork
1 cup (20 g) mint leaves, loosely packed
4 coriander stalks
2 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
A
2 tablespoons Thai Nam Pla Dressing (see page 15)
2 tablespoons sake
½ teaspoon coarsely ground red chili pepper
½ lime
¼ head medium red cabbage, sliced
Additional coarsely ground red chili pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 Slice the pork into ¹⁄₃ inch (1 cm) wide strips.
2 Roughly chop the mint and coriander, and finely shred the kaffir lime leaves, if using.
3 Heat the sesame oil in the frying pan over medium heat and stir fry the pork from Step 1. Once the pork changes color, add the ingredients from A. Stir-fry until the moisture is gone.
4 Put the coarsely ground red chili pepper and the ingredients from Steps 2 and 3 into a bowl. Squeeze the lime into the bowl and toss to evenly coat the ingredients. Arrange on a plate with the shredded red cabbage. Sprinkle with additional coarsely ground red chili pepper, to taste.
TIP
This is my take on a Thai pork salad called larb mu. After seasoning the pork well, combine it with herbs for a refreshing flavor.
The nam pla and lemon juice permeate the beef, making it so delicious. Avocado lovers won’t be able to resist this dish.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES
A
½ fresh red chili pepper, de-seeded
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon nam pla
1 tablespoon sake
7 oz (200 g) thinly sliced beef
1 avocado
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¹⁄₃ red onion
4 coriander stalks
3 green onions (scallions)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
DIRECTIONS
1 Combine the ingredients from A in a bowl.
2 Bring a pan of water to a boil and add the sake. Add beef to the boiling water one slice at a time, cooking each slice for about 40 seconds then taking it out immediately. Put the beef into the bowl from Step 1 while it’s still warm, and mix to coat it with the dressing.
3 Cut the avocado in half, remove the stone and peel it. Cut the avocado into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces, and drizzle the lemon juice over them.
4 Slice the red onion thinly, and soak the slices in a bowl of cold water for 3 minutes. Drain well. Roughly chop the coriander, and cut the green onions into ¾ inch (2 cm) long pieces.
5 Add the ingredients from Steps 3 and 4 to the bowl. Swirl in the sesame oil and toss briefly to coat all the ingredients.
TIP
This is my version of a Thai salad that combines boiled beef and vegetables with a nam-pla-based dressing. I added avocado to make this a very hearty salad.