Recipe: Miang Kum Salad

In Thai cuisine, miang kum is a do-it-yourself appetizer. Spinach or other green leaves are brought in a stack to the table with little individual bowls of tamarind or chilli sauce, diced lime, dried shrimp, roasted peanuts, roasted shredded coconut, diced red onion or shallot, diced ginger, and sometimes minced chillies. You put as much of each filling as you want in your leaf, wrap it up, and pop it into your mouth.

On Saturday, I saw a dear friend and old roommate of mine who reminded me that I used to make a chopped salad with the miang kum ingredients when we lived together, and she asked me to post the recipe. So here it is!

Miang Kum Salad for 4-6

About 2 Cups spinach, finely chopped (other greens, such as young collards, would also work)

Thai chilli sauce to taste

1/4 Cup small dried shrimp

1/2 Cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

2 diced shallots (or half a red onion, diced)

a 2" piece ginger, peeled and very finely diced

1 lime, washed well, unpeeled and very finely diced

3/4 Cup toasted shredded coconut

Toss all of the ingredients together. Option - serve with lime wedges.

Diced ripe mango could be a sweet addition to this salad; diced green mango, a tart addition. For more heat, you could add finely sliced Thai chillies, with or without the seeds (leaving in the seeds is spicier).