Thai salads that rule the world (2024)

It's all about that crunch!

Thai salads, just like their hot and steamy curries are all about finding that sweets spot between the sweet, salty, sour & spicy. Well, we've done all the legwork and found you ten salads that are a textural delight - that includes this winning recipe of

from

Thai week restaurant, Long Chim. #restaurantqualitymadeathome

Thai beef salad with roasted rice and deep-fried shallot dressing

Oyster, soy and fish sauces, as well as white pepper, are front and centre in this marinade. Layers of marinated beef, roasted rice, pickled eschallots and a spicy, deep-fried shallot dressing are keeping

fresh and utterly delicious. While you can easily serve this as an entree or light main, you can also add 150 g of cooked rice noodles to the salad for a heartier meal.

Prawn and chilli jam salad (pla goong)

This spicy yet refreshing prawn offering is an absolute cinch to make and packs a punch with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, fresh chilli and mint. The magic really comes from the chilli jam and be sure to use wholegreen prawns - peeled, cleaned with heads and tails all intact.

Wing bean and pork salad

There's a legume that absolutely loves tropical weather and it's called a wing bean. Here Luke Nguyen uses this somewhat unusual ingredient, with a tangy chilli jam, to make a

.

Salt 'n' pepper squid: the noodle edition.Dried shrimp, king prawns and squid take to the stage in this Thai street food favourite andit only takesa few minutes before you are eating

.

Another super-healthy salad, this is light in both texture and flavour. Be sure to use the freshest herbs you can find, and not overcook the chicken so it stays lovely and tender.

Green papaya salad (som tum)

All over Bangkok, food vendors pound together this irresistible combination of green papaya, chillies, fish sauce and lime. Make this salad as tradition dictates with a large mortar and pestle to really amalgamate the flavours andthis version is from the

archives.

Coconut noodle salad (khanom chin sao nam)

If you think pineapple only has a place in sweet fruit salads and pizza (

!) think again.

teeters on the sweet and savoury side thanks to the additions of coconut cream, dried shrimp, ginger and a chilli-lime syrup.

Banana blossom, coconut chicken and chilli salad

'Blossom' to your full salad potential by getting this vibrant ingredient at your Thai grocer - chicken salad will never be the same again.Served raw, banana blossoms lend crunch to all sorts of South-East Asian salads and be sure to look for large, firm blossoms without discolouration. To prepare this vegetable, remove the coloured outer leaves until you reach the pale heart, similar to the way you prepare globe artichokes.

Chargrilled squid salad (pla muek yang)

A Luke Nguyen favourite is thischargrilled squid and herb salad. "For me, it represents everything that I love about Thai cooking. The grilled squid in this dish is light, textural and smoky, tossed with fresh lemongrass and bound in a sweet and spicy dressing. The salty/sour/spicy/sweet notes are in perfect balance..."

Have we got your attention and your tastebuds?