Dish of Pig Skin Salad #1
(click to enlarge)

Pig Skin Salad #1


Thailand   -   Yam Nang Moo
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 4 salad
**
2 hrs
Best		 This flavorful salad will be enjoyed by all who appreciate the chewy gelatinous texture of simmered pig skin. See also Pig Skin Salad #2 for a spicier version.

1
4
1/2
1
3
8
2
2
2
1
2
2
1
-----
#
oz
c

T

T
oz
T
T
T
T
t
----
Pork Skin (1)
Pork, cooked
Mint leaves
Lemon Grass (2)
Dried Shrimp (3)
Kaffir Lime leaf (4)
Cilantro leaf
Shallots
Coconut Cream (5)
Sriracha Sauce (6)
Lime Juice
Fish Sauce (7)
Palm Sugar
--- Garnish
Thai Basil Leaves
or Mint Leaves
Make:   -   (2 hrs - 45 min work)
  1. Cut any excess fat from PORK SKIN and cook in boiling water for about 45 minutes - it should be tender but still a bit chewy - not too much because it'll firm up quite a bit when cold. Cool and cut into strips about 1/4 inch wide by 1-1/2 to 2 inches long.
  2. Cut PORK with the grain into 1/4 inch square sticks about 1-1/2 inches long.
  3. Remove MINT LEAVES from stems and chop coarse. Chop CILANTRO small. Mix.
  4. Strip tough outer leaves from LEMON GRASS, cut off hard root end and pound flat with your kitchen mallet. Slice the bottom 4 inches crosswise as thin as you can and then chop fine.
  5. Reduce DRIED SHRIMP to powder in your spice grinder.
  6. Roll up LIME LEAVES and slice rolls into thin threads, discarding the stem, then cut strips crosswise into small pieces (or grate lime zest, see Note-4).
  7. Chop SHALLOTS fine.
  8. Mix All Ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour for flavors to blend.
  9. Garnish and serve at a cool room temperature.
NOTES:

  1. Pig Skins:

      These can sometimes be found in Asian markets, but by far your best bet is a meat market serving a Mexican community. For details see our Pig Skin page.

  2. Lemon Grass:

      For details see our Lemon Grass page.

  3. Dried Shrimp:

      These come in various sizes and are nearly weightless making them hard to measure. Crumble them coarsely and measure without packing. For details see our Dried Shrimp page.

  4. Kaffir Lime Leaves:

      These come 2 to a stem. See our Kaffir Lime page for details. If you don't have them, grate the zest of the limes before you squeeze them for lime juice.

  5. Coconut Cream:

      For occasions like this I keep tiny 5.6 ounce cans of Aroy-D coconut milk. I open a can without shaking it and spoon the cream off the top. If I have no immediate use for the rest, I just stir it up and drink it.

  6. Sriracha Sauce:

      The popular Huy Fong Foods Sriracha Sauce from Southern California isn't strictly authentic - they don't have red ripe jalapeno peppers in Thailand (yet), but it's widely available and nobody seems to mind the extra flavor.

  7. Fish Sauce:

      This clear liquid is as essential to Southeast Asian cuisine as it was to Imperial Rome. If you are unfamiliar with it, see our Fish Sauce - Introduction page.

  8. Method:

      Because I have a big Thai granite mortar, after chopping the Lime Leaves I pound them in the mortar. Then I add the finely chopped Lemon Grass and pound some more, then the Palm Sugar. After that I add the chopped Shallots and pound again. Finally I mix in the powdered Shrimp and the liquids.
  9. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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