gaja
02-01-2003, 07:00 AM
Here is the recipe for the Thai Cucumber and Green Bean Salad I mentioned in the "Recent success" thread. It is so simple but extraordinarily flavorful. There was absolutely no conversation going on as my fiance and I devoured this salad... only lots of "ohhhs" and "ahhhhs" :) Perfectly fresh ingredients (especially fresh herbs) are key in this recipe.
Thai Cucumber and Green Bean Salad
From: The Cafe Paradiso Cookbook
Serves 4
For the salad:
Corn or peanut oil
1 small handful of rice vermicelli
2 cucumbers
200g green beans
1 red pepper
20g roasted unsalted peanuts (I used cashews)
1/2-1 small head of Chinese leaves (I used Napa Cabbage)
1 large handful of fresh coriander (cilantro)
1 small handful of fresh basic (I used Thai basil)
For the dressing:
1 Tbs roasted unsalted peanuts (Used cashews here too)
1 large mild red chilli, deseeded
100 mls lime or lemon juice
2 tsp light palm or soft brown sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed
To make the dressing:
Finely chop the peanuts by hand or food processor (but not a grinder) and slice the chilli very finely. Then whisk these with the juice, sugar, and garlic.
To make the salad:
Heat about a 5cm depth of corn or peanut oil in a small saucepan until it is quite hot. Drop in the vermicelli, which will immediately begin to sizzle, brown and swell. You may need to turn the vermicelli, so stand over the pan and remove the noodles as soon as they are lightly browned, which will only take a minute or so. Drain the noodle on paper and set them aside. This can be done any time on the day you want to use them, and they will even keep for a couple of days in an airtight container.
Peel the cucumbers, scoop out and discard the seeds, and slice them into thinnish pieces about 4 cm long. Drop the green beans into boiling water for one or two minutes, depending on their age and thickness. Cool them immediately in cold water. Slice the red pepper into strips about half the thickness of the cucumber pieces. Coarsely chop or halve the peanuts, finely shred the Chinese leaves and mix all the ingredients together. As a guide, the Chinese leaves should be only half the volume the vegetables and toss them briefly before piling the salad on to four plates. Sprinkle a little vermicelly over each portion.
Notes:
The vermicelli really makes for a spectacular presentation and adds a nice crunch to the salad. Mine did not turn gold, but swelled into sort of a giant snowflake. Very pretty.
Enjoy! :)
Gaja
Thai Cucumber and Green Bean Salad
From: The Cafe Paradiso Cookbook
Serves 4
For the salad:
Corn or peanut oil
1 small handful of rice vermicelli
2 cucumbers
200g green beans
1 red pepper
20g roasted unsalted peanuts (I used cashews)
1/2-1 small head of Chinese leaves (I used Napa Cabbage)
1 large handful of fresh coriander (cilantro)
1 small handful of fresh basic (I used Thai basil)
For the dressing:
1 Tbs roasted unsalted peanuts (Used cashews here too)
1 large mild red chilli, deseeded
100 mls lime or lemon juice
2 tsp light palm or soft brown sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed
To make the dressing:
Finely chop the peanuts by hand or food processor (but not a grinder) and slice the chilli very finely. Then whisk these with the juice, sugar, and garlic.
To make the salad:
Heat about a 5cm depth of corn or peanut oil in a small saucepan until it is quite hot. Drop in the vermicelli, which will immediately begin to sizzle, brown and swell. You may need to turn the vermicelli, so stand over the pan and remove the noodles as soon as they are lightly browned, which will only take a minute or so. Drain the noodle on paper and set them aside. This can be done any time on the day you want to use them, and they will even keep for a couple of days in an airtight container.
Peel the cucumbers, scoop out and discard the seeds, and slice them into thinnish pieces about 4 cm long. Drop the green beans into boiling water for one or two minutes, depending on their age and thickness. Cool them immediately in cold water. Slice the red pepper into strips about half the thickness of the cucumber pieces. Coarsely chop or halve the peanuts, finely shred the Chinese leaves and mix all the ingredients together. As a guide, the Chinese leaves should be only half the volume the vegetables and toss them briefly before piling the salad on to four plates. Sprinkle a little vermicelly over each portion.
Notes:
The vermicelli really makes for a spectacular presentation and adds a nice crunch to the salad. Mine did not turn gold, but swelled into sort of a giant snowflake. Very pretty.
Enjoy! :)
Gaja