For Chinese New Year my family and I went to a Thai restaurant to celebrate, as non of us are a fan of the Chinese food served in restaurants, and had a delicious meal of papaya salad with several curries. While the food was delicious the amount of salt and palm sugar they put into the food showed the next day as we were all a little bit puffy and bloated. Thai flavours are so nice though, so I thought it was better if I made my own. The sauce is what defines this dish, the peanuts and spices gives it a lovely kick and the crunchy components of the salad brings all the flavours together nicely!
Tamarind sauce can be easily found in Asian stores, however if you don't have access to it you can omit it. The rest of the dressing ingredients are sufficient, what it does so is give it a savoury sweet flavour traditional to Thai cuisine. This recipe makes about 4 side salad servings, or you can have it as a main as it is filling. I often make up some quinoa and have it with this salad for a main meal.
Crunchy Thai Salad
1/4 large red cabbage
1 large carrot
1/2 red capsicum
1 small cucumber
1 bunch coriander
10 cherry tomatoes
10 thai basil leaves
Dressing
1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
(get organic and unroasted if possible)
2 TBS sesame oil
2 TBS maple syrup
juice of 1 lime
1 TBS apple cider vinegar
1 TBS tamari
2 tsp tamarind paste
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1 red chilli
1. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender and mix until it becomes smooth (the small cup magic bullet is great for mixing dressings)
2. Julienne the carrot and cucumber into a large mixing bowl
3. Finely slice the cabbage, capsicum and basil leaves and add to the bowl
4. Half the cherry tomatoes, dice the coriander and mix it thoroughly in the bowl
5. Add in the dressing at the end, mix well let sit for 10 mins or so so the flavour can infuse in. You can refrigerate it to get a chilled salad if you like!
2. Julienne the carrot and cucumber into a large mixing bowl
3. Finely slice the cabbage, capsicum and basil leaves and add to the bowl
4. Half the cherry tomatoes, dice the coriander and mix it thoroughly in the bowl
5. Add in the dressing at the end, mix well let sit for 10 mins or so so the flavour can infuse in. You can refrigerate it to get a chilled salad if you like!
