Ingredients
- 1/4 to 1/2 lb shrimp
- 1/3 head or 1/2 lb green cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Thai basil, julienned
- 1 cup peanuts, roasted
- 1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 handful carrots, shredded
- white or rice vinegar
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 to 2 Thai chilis, thinly sliced
- 3/4 tablespoon dark muscovado sugar
- water
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 handful fish-flavored chips
- SUBSTITUTIONS: It’s easy to make this dish vegetarian by using mushroom stalks instead of shrimp
Instructions
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Step 1
Roast peanuts
The traditional way: Place peanuts in a saute pan and dry roast on medium high heat. Occasionally stir the peanuts. Remove from heat once the peanuts have browned on the majority of their surface.
The "cheating" way: Place peanuts in an oven safe dish, place in oven on high broil for 1-3 minutes. Be careful not to leave the peanuts for too long, they can burn quickly. The goal is to cook the peanuts until you can smell them. Quickly remove from the oven. - Step 2 While the peanuts are warm, crush them, preferably using a mortar and pestle or molcajete.
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Step 3
Boil or poach the shrimp. Place the shrimp in a saucepan and cover with water. Cook until the shrimp become red and opaque.
TIP: Make sure to boil or poach the shrimp with the shells intact, as the shells provide the best flavor.
TIP: Never rinse the shrimp after they have been cooked, as they will lose flavor. - Step 4 Peel the onion, cut in half and slice into paper thin strips. Place the sliced onion in a small bowl and add rice vinegar. Let it sit to soak. The vinegar will remove the bitterness.
- Step 5 Place a garlic clove on a cutting board and place the flat side of the knife over the garlic. Using your palm, strike the flat side of the knife to break the clove slightly. This way you can easily remove the peel. Mince garlic.
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Step 6
Heat one cup of water, add 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce and stir. Add the sugar and vinegar. Lastly, add the thinly sliced chilis.
TIP: Don't add the chilis early because the sauce will become too spicy. -
Step 7
Thinly slice the cabbage, shred the carrots and cut the basil into strips.
TIP: Tuck in the important parts [your fingers] and rock the knife like a rocking horse, never letting the knife leave the cutting board. This creates thin julienned pieces of basil. - Step 8 Add the sauce to the cabbage and carrots and mix. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the cabbage to wilt. Look for a slight puddle in the salad to know that you have used enough dressing.
- Step 9 Peel the shrimp, peeling the head off first then following the lines of the shrimp to remove everything except the tail. Place each shrimp flat on a cutting board and press your fingers flat against the top of the shrimp. Slice the shrimp in half lengthwise, along the vein. Add the shrimp to the salad.
- Step 10 Add the julienned basil to the salad. Look for an even sprinkling of basil throughout the salad.
- Step 11 Serve on a plate with fish-flavored chips.
