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16 min read
Bored of the same salads? These Thai recipes from chef John Chantarasak promise to spice up any summer spread.
Salty, sweet, sour, bitter and spicy – these are the five main flavours that make up Thai dishes. From a rich massaman curry to spicy kao ka moo, sweet mango sticky rice and, of course, the ever-popular pad thai, the deliciously varied cuisine of Thailand has so much to offer.
So if you’re wanting to expand your repertoire and try new tastes, dishes and techniques, Thai-British chef John Chantarasak is here to help. As the co-founder of popular pop-up and soon-to-open London restaurant Anglo Thai, John knows a thing or two about bringing the flavours of Thailand to classic British ingredients. And with his debut cookbook Kin Thai, he’s offering 80 delicious recipes that shine a light on lesser-known Thai dishes, as well as foolproof takes on popular Thai food classics.
Credit: Hardie Grant
And with the start of June just days away and summer in the air, what could be better than updating your al fresco menu with some flavour-packed Thai-style salads? So much more than limp lettuce and bottled dressing, the recipes promise a myriad of textures and tastes. If you already love a papaya salad, you’ll want to add these three fresh, summer-ready recipes to your roster.
John’s sweetheart cabbage, roast chicken and chilli jam salad is the perfect way to use up leftovers from your weekend roast. Offering a new way with cabbage, the recipe also calls for making your own chilli jam – which is more than worth the effort as it can be used as a spicy dip, a topping for your morning eggs and everything in between. Not to mention adding a kick to this textural salad. And if you’re short on time, the fried shallots and fried garlic can be easily purchased from Asian grocery stores for a simple shortcut.
And for a new twist on the classic papaya salad, John introduces his green apple and crispy dried anchovy salad. Making use of Granny Smith apples, the chef showcases how typical British produce can be elevated with Thai flavours of lime, lemongrass, garlic and chillies.
And finally, John’s fried egg salad highlights how just a handful of ingredients can make for an unforgettable dish – with the crispy eggs coupled with onion, tomato and celery, before being topped with a citrusy nahm yum dressing.
Yum galam bplee: sweetheart cabbage, roast chicken and chilli jam salad
John says: “This recipe came about when I was thinking about an alternative to banana blossom salad (yum hua plee). I find banana blossoms have a gentle flavour, not too dissimilar to cabbage or artichoke, with a snappy texture that holds up well to being cooked. I’m also a big fan of sweetheart cabbage (sometimes called hispi cabbage) and decided it would make a great substitute in this style of salad, especially when paired with grilled or roast chicken and an umami-rich chilli jam dressing.”
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 brown coconut
- 200g sweetheart cabbage (about ½ cabbage)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 120g leftover roast chicken, skin removed (a mix of white and dark meat)
- 3 lemongrass stalks, root and outer husks removed, thinly sliced
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced with the grain of the onion
- 3 tbsp Thai basil leaves
- 3 tbsp coriander leaves
- 2 tbsp mint leaves
- 2 tbsp nasturtium leaves or wild pepper leaves, roughly torn (optional)
- 2 dried long chillies, seeded and deep-fried in oil until crispy
- 1 tbsp fried shallots (hom jiaw) (see below)
- 1 tbsp fried garlic (gratiam jiaw) (see below)
- 2 makrut lime leaves (fresh or frozen), thinly shredded
- 2 tbsp coconut cream
For the salad dressing (nahm yum):
- 6 tbsp roasted chilli jam (nahm prik pao) (see below)
- 4 tbsp coconut cream
- 2 makrut lime leaves (fresh or frozen)
- 1 lemongrass stalk, cut into 5 cm batons and bruised in a pestle and mortar
- 1 tbsp palm or brown sugar
- 1 tsp tamarind water (nahm makham piak)
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp mandarin or clementine juice
Method
First, make the roasted chilli jam following the instructions below.
For the salad dressing, gently warm the roasted chilli jam and coconut cream together in a saucepan over a low heat for one minute. Add the makrut lime leaves and lemongrass batons and simmer gently for two minutes, making sure the jam doesn’t catch on the base of the pan. Add the sugar, tamarind water, fish sauce and mandarin or clementine juice and simmer for another minute. It will taste rich and sweet, slightly salty and spicy, with a sheen of oil on the surface. This will make more dressing than required, but it will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month. Leave to cool to just above room temperature.
For the roasted coconut, crack the brown coconut and shred the flesh using a regular box grater. Add to a wok or saucepan and toast over a low heat for five minutes until the coconut is golden brown and dried with a lovely nutty aroma. Leave to cool. This can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Sprinkle the salt over the cabbage and wrap it tightly in kitchen foil. Place in the oven for eight minutes. Check the cabbage after this time: it should be steaming and roasting in its own juices, producing a tender vegetable that retains a slight bite. Remove the foil and leave to cool to just above room temperature before slicing into bite-size pieces.
Flake the leftover chicken into bite-size pieces and place on a baking tray, then transfer to the oven for five minutes to warm through.
Add the cabbage, chicken, lemongrass, red onion, herbs and nasturtium leaves to a large bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and toss everything together until well coated but not flooded with the dressing. Crumble the fried dried chilli over the salad, along with half the fried shallots and fried garlic. Toss together, then pile on to a large serving plate. Finish by scattering over the remaining fried shallots and fried garlic, along with the shredded makrut lime leaves. Drizzle with the coconut cream and serve.
Nahm prik pao: roasted chilli jam
“This highly complex and luxuriously rich relish (nahm prik) can be used as far more than just a chilli dip. It can be thinned and the seasoning adjusted for salad dressings, or it can be made into a umami-rich stir-fry sauce that’s especially good with shellfish. It’s the Thai equivalent of the famous XO sauce used in Chinese cuisine. At the restaurant, we take influence from these traditional XO sauces by curing, smoking and drying scallop roes before deep-frying and adding them to the chilli jam (nahm prik pao) alongside dried shrimp. It’s quite a time-consuming process, although I feel the resulting chilli paste is worth the labour. This recipe will make a fairly large quantity, about 2 litres, but the end result lasts indefinitely and is useful to have around at all times.”
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 1 tsp shrimp paste
- Banana leaf (optional)
- Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- 70g dried prawns
- 87g dried long red chillies, seeded and stems removed
- 75g galangal, thinly sliced
- 340g fried shallots (hom jiaw)
- 270g fried garlic (gratiam jiaw)
- 170g palm sugar
- 120ml tamarind water (nahm makham piak)
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
Method
Wrap the shrimp paste in the banana leaf or some kitchen foil and dry-toast in a pan over a low heat for two minutes, or until fragrant, flipping once during cooking. Set aside.
Pour the oil for deep-frying into a large wok to a depth of 5cm. Heat to 180°C on a cooking thermometer.
Alternatively, drop a small cube of bread into the hot oil; if it turns golden brown in about 15 seconds, the oil is ready. Deep-fry the dried prawns, red chillies and galangal separately in the hot oil until golden and fragrant. Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
Transfer the toasted shrimp paste to a food processor, along with the deep-fried prawns, chillies and galangal, as well as the fried shallots and fried garlic. Blend to a smooth paste, using some of the frying oil (about 225ml) to help emulsify the ingredients together.
Add the mixture to a saucepan over a low heat and bring to a simmer. Add the sugar, tamarind water and fish sauce and simmer gently for 5 minutes until thickened and jammy. Be careful not to simmer for too long, as the caramelising sugars will seize as it cools, making the jam impossible to use in the future. It will taste sweet, rich and spicy, with a little background tartness and saltiness.
Transfer to a container and top with more of the reserved frying oil to cover the surface of the chilli jam. Leave to cool before storing indefinitely in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Hom jiaw/nahm man hom: fried shallots and fragrant shallot oil
“Golden-brown, crispy fried shallots are used throughout Thailand to give depth of flavour, sweetness and texture to all manner of dishes, from soups and salads to curries and stir-fries. There is rarely a dish that doesn’t improve with a scattering of fried shallots tossed through. The process involves deepfrying thinly sliced shallots in oil until they lose their water content, becoming crispy, fragrant and golden brown. You can do this using any fat of your choice, but I opt for a neutral-tasting vegetable oil, as the frying process imparts a wonderful flavour to the oil, making it a superior cooking oil for other dishes like stir-fries and curries, or just for use as a fragrant shallot oil to drizzle over fried rice and soups. Fried shallots can be bought from supermarkets (grocery stores), as a sort of hot dog-style crunchy garnish, but nothing beats shallots that you have fried yourself.”
Makes 100g
Ingredients
- 200g shallots, peeled (small round or banana shallots work best, but they must be very fresh and firm)
- 500ml vegetable oil
Method
Halve the shallots lengthways, then slice them as thinly as you can with the grain of the shallot, aiming for slices 1mm thick. Take your time, as you are looking for a uniform thickness so that the shallots fry evenly. Using a Japanese mandolin makes the job easier.
Line a large baking tray with paper towels. Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok until it reaches 140°C on a cooking thermometer. If you don’t own one, add a slice of shallot to the hot oil; if it starts to bubble and fry without taking on colour immediately, the temperature is correct.
Add the remaining shallots to the hot oil and stir to prevent them clumping together. Maintain a steady oil temperature so that the shallots are kept at a gentle sizzle for about 12 minutes, or until they turn golden brown.
Strain the shallots through a sieve over a heatproof dish so that the oil is collected. Shake the sieve, then transfer the shallots to the lined tray. Use two forks to gently tease the shallots apart into strands, separating them into a single layer on the paper. The shallots will darken and become crispier as they dry. You want them to dry and cool as quickly as possible to prevent them turning too dark and becoming bitter. This takes some practice, but you will quickly realise how dark you want the shallots to be before straining.
Leave the fried shallots to cool completely before storing in an airtight container lined with a sheet of paper towel. Store in a cool dry place for up to two weeks. Leave the fragrant shallot oil to cool completely before transferring to a separate airtight container. It will keep in a cool, dry place for up to two months.
Gratiam jiaw/nahm man gratiam: fried garlic and fragrant garlic oil
“Much like fried shallots, crispy fried nibs of garlic improve most dishes, providing an almost nutty richness. Something as simple as steamed rice topped with fried garlic can become an addictive snack. I add a sprinkle to minced meat (laabs) and salads, particularly those originating from Northern Thailand. The fragrant garlic oil gives wonderful flavour when drizzled over soups and broken rice porridge (jok).”
Makes 80g
Ingredients
- 160g garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 500ml vegetable oil
Method
In a pestle and mortar, pound the garlic into a uniform minced texture, resembling a somewhat coarse paste. Do this in batches so as to not overcrowd the mortar. Alternatively, if you own a mincer, then mince the garlic through the smallest hole.
Line a large baking tray with paper towels. Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok until it reaches 140°C on a cooking thermometer. If you don’t own one, add a speck of very finely chopped garlic to the oil; if it starts to bubble and fry without taking on colour immediately, the temperature is correct.
Add the remaining garlic to the oil and stir to prevent it clumping together. Maintain a steady oil temperature so that the garlic is kept at a gentle sizzle for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
Strain the fried garlic through a sieve over a heatproof dish so that the oil is collected. Shake the sieve, then transfer the fried garlic to the lined tray and spread it out in a thin single layer on the paper. The garlic will darken and become crispier as it dries. You want it to dry and cool as quickly as possible to prevent it turning too dark and becoming bitter. This takes some practice, but you will quickly realise how dark you want the garlic to be before straining.
Leave the fried garlic to cool completely before storing in an airtight container lined with a sheet of paper towel. Store in a cool dry place for up to two weeks. Leave the fragrant garlic oil to cool completely before transferring to a separate airtight container. It will keep in a cool, dry place for up to two months.
Once the fried garlic and fragrant garlic oil are completely cooled, you can make a condiment by adding one part crispy fried garlic flakes to two parts fragrant oil. This is great for adding seasoning at the table to noodle soups, fried rice and rice porridge.
Yum aepbpeern: green apple and crispy dried anchovy salad
John says: “This salad makes use of fruits in their unripe stage of growth, much like the beloved green papaya salad (som tam) that is widely eaten throughout Thailand. This particular salad commonly uses green mango, but I’ve opted to use green apple, as I find varieties like Granny Smith offer the same crisp texture and sweet-tart flavour as a green mango.”
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 120ml vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- 2 tbsp dried anchovies or dried shrimp
- 2 tbsp raw peanuts, preferably skin-on
- 8 makrut lime leaves (fresh or frozen), 6 left whole and 2 finely shredded
- Juice of ½ lime
- 2 green apples, such as Granny Smith
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced with the grain of the onion
- 2 lemongrass stalks, root and outer husks removed, thinly sliced
- 1 long red chilli, seeded and finely shredded
- 3 tbsp coriander leaves
- 2 tbsp mint leaves
For the salad dressing (nahm yum):
- 1 long red chilli, seeded and chopped
- 2 red bird’s eye chillies, chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped coriander root or coriander stem
- 1 tbsp chopped garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp palm or brown sugar
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
Method
To make the salad dressing, pound the chillies, coriander root, garlic and salt together in a stone pestle and mortar to a smooth paste. Add the sugar and mix until well combined. Finish by stirring in the lime juice and fish sauce. It will taste spicy, salty and sour. Set aside.
Heat the oil for deep-frying in a large, deep saucepan until the oil reaches 180°C on a cooking thermometer.
Alternatively, drop a small cube of bread into the hot oil; if it turns golden brown in about 15 seconds, the oil is ready. Carefully drop the dried anchovies or shrimp into the oil and, using a slotted spoon or spatula, move around in the pan for 15 seconds, or until golden and crispy. Remove and leave to drain on a plate lined with paper towels to remove the excess oil.
Reheat the oil to 180°C and repeat the process with the peanuts, then the six whole makrut lime leaves, being careful with the lime leaves as they will spit and sputter as they hit the hot oil. Again, drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
Fill a medium bowl with cold water and add the lime juice. Cut the apple into long strands using a Japanese mandolin set with 3mm teeth (alternatively, you can do this by hand). The strands should be about 6cm long and 3mm wide. Add the apple strands to the acidulated water as you go to prevent them oxidising and turning an unattractive brown colour while you cut the remaining apple.
Drain the apple strands well, then add to a large bowl, along with all the other ingredients except the crispy fried makrut lime leaves. Add the red chilli dressing and toss together to ensure the salad is nicely coated. Spoon on to a serving plate and garnish with the crispy makrut lime leaves to serve.
Yum khai dao: fried egg salad
John says: “This salad is not commonly found in Thai restaurants, but it is incredibly easy to cook at home. At its core, eggs are cracked into smoking-hot oil and shallow-fried so that the edges and bottom get crispy, the whites puff out, yet the yolk remains runny and molten. It’s traditionally paired with Asian celery, but regular celery works just fine. The salad is tossed in a sweet, spicy and tart dressing that’s both moreish and satisfying, showcasing how even the simplest of Thai dishes can achieve complex flavours.”
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- Vegetable oil, for shallow-frying
- ½ small white onion, thinly sliced with the grain of the onion (from top to tail)
- 1 salad tomato, chopped into 8 pieces
- 2 sticks celery, stalk thinly sliced and leaves picked (use the paler inner stalks of a celery head with the leaves)
- 3 tbsp roughly chopped coriander sprigs
For the salad dressing (nahm yum):
- 2 tbsp palm or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp thinly sliced garlic
- 2 bird’s eye chillies, thinly sliced
Method
To make the dressing, mix together the sugar, water, fish sauce and lime juice in a pestle and mortar until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the garlic and chillies and stir through, then set aside. It will taste spicy, sweet and tart.
Crack the eggs into separate ramekins or small bowls, taking care not to break the yolks. Pour the oil for shallow-frying into a shallow saucepan to a depth of 2cm and heat over a high heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, gently slide an egg into the hot oil. The egg will immediately start to spit, crackle and bubble, so be very careful. The egg white will puff up and develop large, transparent bubbles, and the bottom and edges will get brown and crispy. Fry for about one minute, then flip the egg over and cook for a few seconds on the other side before transferring to a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Repeat with the second egg.
Cut the fried eggs into bite-size quarters, trying to avoid cutting directly through the runny yolks, and arrange on a serving plate.
In a large bowl, gently toss together the sliced onion, tomato, celery and coriander with the dressing until combined. Top the eggs with the salad and dressing and serve.
Kin Thai: Modern Thai Recipes To Cook At Home by John Chantarasak (£22, Hardie Grant) is out now
Photography: Maureen M. Evans
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