Tantalize your taste buds with a culinary journey to Southeast Asia, where vibrant flavors and fresh ingredients reign supreme. Discover the zesty Green Papaya Salad, a harmonious blend of sweet, sour, and savory notes. This refreshing salad combines crisp green papaya, juicy tomatoes, crunchy peanuts, and aromatic herbs, all tossed in a tangy dressing.
Complement your meal with Lemongrass Chicken, a delightful dish that captures the essence of Vietnamese cuisine. Tender chicken marinated in a flavorful blend of lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and fish sauce, grilled to perfection. The result is a succulent and aromatic chicken dish that will leave you craving for more.
This comprehensive guide also features recipes for Nuoc Cham, a versatile Vietnamese dipping sauce, and pickled vegetables, a delightful accompaniment to any Southeast Asian meal. With step-by-step instructions and helpful tips, you'll be able to recreate these authentic dishes in the comfort of your own kitchen. Embark on a culinary adventure and experience the vibrant flavors of Southeast Asia with these tantalizing recipes.
GREEN PAPAYA SALAD WITH LIME AND PEPITAS
Steps:
- For the lime vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil, mirin, fish sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, lime zest and juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
- For the salad: Add the rice to a dry cast-iron skillet set over medium heat and toast, stirring frequently, until nutty and fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Place the rice in a spice grinder and pulse until finely ground (the size of kosher salt). Set aside.
- Heat the sesame oil in a saute pan over high heat. Add the green beans and cook until well charred on the outside, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. (The beans should still be almost raw in the middle so they remain crunchy.) Place the cherry tomatoes in the same pan and lightly char; transfer to the plate with the beans and let cool. Cut the tomatoes in half (it's okay if they get a little smashed), and cut the beans into 2-inch-long pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine the green beans, tomatoes, mung beans, red onions, scallions, papayas, Thai bird chiles, red peppers, cucumbers, basil, mint, pepitas, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pinch of pepper. Drizzle with the lime vinaigrette and mix well. Transfer the salad to a large serving platter and garnish with the toasted ground rice (for fragrance and a crunchy texture).
THAI GRILLED CHICKEN WITH THAI GREEN PAPAYA SALAD (GAI YANG WITH SOM TAM)
Steps:
- For the Thai grilled chicken: Spatchcock each chicken by placing it breast-side down on a cutting board with the legs closest to you. Use kitchen shears to cut down the backbone. Flip the chicken over and press down in the center of the breast to flatten. Prick the skin side all over with a fork.
- Add the cilantro roots, fish sauce, palm sugar, peppercorns, oyster sauce, turmeric, salt and 4 cloves of the garlic to a food processor. Process until all the peppercorns are broken up and a chunky paste is formed.
- Rub the chicken all over with the paste (including under the skin) and marinate at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Meanwhile, cook the remaining 8 cloves garlic with the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, capturing the oil in a small bowl beneath. Spread the garlic on a plate to cool; reserve for serving.
- Before grilling, bring the chicken to room temperature for an hour. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil over the chicken.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a double-burner grill pan over medium heat.
- Place chickens skin-side down on the grill pan at a 45 degree angle. Cook until marked by the grill pan, flipping once to create crosshatches, about 5 minutes. Transfer skin-side up to a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack.
- Trim off the spiky top and the base from the lemongrass, peel off the first few outer layers and then bruise the stalk with the heel of a chef's knife; this helps release the flavorful oils. Using the bruised lemongrass as a brush, baste the chickens all over with some of the remaining garlic oil.
- Cook in the oven until the chickens are golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 165 degrees F, 10 to 15 minutes. For the last 2 minutes of baking, switch the oven to broil.
- Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes and then cut each into pieces. Garnish with the reserved garlic.
- For the Thai green papaya salad: Add the garlic, chiles, fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice to a food processor. Process until a chunky paste is formed. (At this point you can adjust the flavor to your liking; add more fish sauce for a saltier taste, more lime juice to make the salad more sour.)
- Transfer the paste to a large bowl and add the papaya, long beans, tomatoes and the dried shrimp and 1 tablespoon of the peanuts if using. Mix together by hand, rubbing the paste into the salad, making sure to coat everything.
- Transfer the salad to a serving dish, making sure to get all the dressing. Top with the remaining 1 tablespoon peanuts if using.
GREEN PAPAYA SALAD
In Isan (and the rest of Thailand), green papaya salad is called som tum, with "som" meaning "sour" and "tum" referring to the pounding sound of the large pestle used to crush ingredients. It is eaten by itself as a snack, or with marinated grilled beef and chicken.
Provided by Julia Moskin
Categories quick, salads and dressings, appetizer
Time 20m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- In a blender or mortar, blend or pound garlic, salt, peanuts, chilies, sugar and shrimp (if using) into a paste. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in lime juice and fish sauce. Use a spoon (or the mortar) to lightly crush tomatoes and beans (if using), then add to bowl and mix lightly.
- Peel and coarsely grate or shred papaya, discarding seeds and inner membrane. There should be 4 to 6 cups.
- Add papaya to bowl and lightly but thoroughly toss together. Taste for seasoning. Mound in a bowl (if desired, line bowl with lettuce leaves beforehand). Sprinkle with peanuts and serve.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 36, UnsaturatedFat 0 grams, Carbohydrate 9 grams, Fat 0 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 1 gram, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 360 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams
Tips:
- For the Green Papaya Salad, use unripe green papaya for the best flavor and texture. Shred the papaya using a grater or a food processor fitted with a shredding blade.
- Use fresh herbs like cilantro, mint, and basil for the salad to add a burst of flavor. Chop the herbs finely to release their oils and aroma.
- Use a good quality fish sauce for the salad dressing. Fish sauce adds a savory and salty flavor to the dish. Look for a fish sauce that is made with anchovies and salt.
- For the Lemongrass Chicken, use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces for even cooking.
- Marinate the chicken in the lemongrass mixture for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight, for best flavor.
- When grilling the chicken, cook it over medium heat to prevent burning. Cook the chicken until it is cooked through, but not dry.
- Serve the chicken with the Green Papaya Salad and steamed rice for a complete meal.
Conclusion:
The Green Papaya Salad and Lemongrass Chicken is a delicious and refreshing dish that is perfect for a summer meal. The salad is light and tangy, with a crunchy texture from the green papaya. The chicken is flavorful and juicy, with a hint of lemongrass. This dish is sure to please everyone at your table.
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