I am back at Yukihira Soma’s kitchen!

I got hungry again!

This time, I’m up for something Asian because no rice – no life!

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Thai Salad

 

Better known as Som Tam, this dish lives as one of the greatest examples for creativity in culinary. As far as creativity goes, I’m not one for it since all I’m doing is cook so that I can actually eat!

Here’s my cheapo version of the salad.

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Normally I’d be using papaya as the main veg for the ‘salad’ but the South Island of New Zealand knows of no such thing. I used carrot instead.

So I got:

• Garlic – doesn’t really matter crush or not because the salad making process involves pounding, hence mixing the ingredients.
• Sugar – I’ve been doing this with my own instincts so I’ll say and estimate of two teaspoons.
• Salt – they always say this; to (your) taste!
• Chili – I used power and flakes because again, South Island of New Zealand knows of no such thing as Thai chili.
• Tomatoes – only one because I’m feeding myself.
• Lime/Lemon – I used lemon juice.
• Nuts – roasted, preferably unsalted! Though, I couldn’t be picky at all so I had to get the salted one. This makes up for the salt needed so I used a hell lot less salt in addition.
• Fish Sauce – stinky but seriously, it’s the heart of all Asian meals.
• Lettuce – to decorate and eventually eat.

I’ve left out the obvious seafood ingredients because uuuuwuuuh~ I am no friend of seafood!

Salad making can’t actually be hard, seriously. There are so many ways to go at being creative, but the one and only way to actually make ‘salad’ as we know of since we were born, is to literally mix the ingredients!

The real trick actually is in the order of putting the ingredients into the mix. And with that I start with the stuff that should be crushed – garlic, sugar, salt and chili.

Then the carrots (still wishing it was papaya) went in.

What do you call this thing? I don’t know. What I DO know is that I crush food with it.

It is then the tomato gets put in. Obviously I’m not planning to absolutely annihilate so I cut it into small pieces before doing so. At this point it is also noted that I put lemon juice and fish sauce into the mix as well. Both of them were pretty much like salt – to taste.

Time to go nuts.

Add the roasted nuts!

 

Pound and pound and mix and swirl with a spoon. This is actually the most fun part because I find myself training my dexterity while doing it.

One day I’ll truly be ambidextrous.

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No rice – no life, I said. So here’s the rice and…. oh. OH?!

 

Okay, I’ve made this post for my salad. I’ve never mentioned anything about the grilled chicken, did I?

It’s not my meal without the grilled chicken!

With that said; here was to me enjoying my midnight’s ‘lunch’.

 

This salad is best eaten at midday because one of the guaranteed side effects is making you poop yourself. Asians know of this and purposely live with it because they consider this kind of food to be natural detox. Ultimately it helps with your digestive/excretion systems.

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