Best Pok Pok Khao Man Som Tam Recipes

PAPAYA SALAD (SOM TAM)

Steps:

• Cut off both ends of papaya. Use a vegetable peeler to remove green skin. To shred the papaya, hold it in one hand and use a knife to rapidly chop long, shallow cuts into the surface (making sure all the cuts run lengthwise, in the same direction). Then, thinly slice off the top layer into a bowl. This Thai method of shredding results in papaya strands that are pleasingly irregular and rustic. (Once you get the hang of it, it gets easier and you'll get much faster, but another option is to use a peeler with a shredding blade.) Shred ⅓-½ of the papaya, about 2 loosely packed cups; make sure there are no seeds.(Reserve the rest of the papaya for a different use, or for additional servings of papaya salad.)
• Salad: Place the clay mortar on a towel to keep it stable. To the mortar, add garlic, chiles, and softened palm sugar. Using a long spoon (to mix) and the pestle (to pound), pound and mix the chiles and garlic to break them up, about 10 seconds. Add two quartered pieces of Key lime, and continue pounding and mixing just enough to release juices, 10 seconds. (From this point on, pound lightly to bruise the ingredients and release flavors; do not smash.) Add shrimp; pound lightly, then mix for 5 seconds.
• Trim the long beans and slice into 2½-inch pieces; you should have about ¼ cup of long beans. Add to the mortar; pound lightly to bruise, then mix for 5 more seconds. Add papaya, fish sauce, tamarind water, and lime juice. (To make tamarind water from tamarind pulp: boil 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp; let cool for 30 minutes; strain.) Use the pestle to lightly pound the salad to the bottom of the mortar, and the spoon to turn the salad over, about 1 minute. Add halved cherry tomatoes, lightly pound, then mix, 10 seconds; add peanuts and toss with the spoon. (Do not pound the peanuts, as they will release oil and make the salad greasy).
• Serve: Place cabbage wedge on the edge of a serving platter. Arrange papaya salad on platter and serve immediately.

PAD THAI (PHAT THAI)

Steps:

• Noodles: Fill a bowl with lukewarm water. Pull apart noodles and roughly cut into 6-inch bunches. Place the noodles in the water so they are fully submerged and soak for 20 minutes. (Remaining noodles can be stored in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.) If you're using dried rice noodles, soak in water for 30 minutes, or until very pliable.
• While noodles are soaking, prep the other ingredients: Slice tofu into ¼-inch thick slices, then slice into small chunks, about ¾-inch long. Chop 6 garlic chives into 1½-inch pieces; you should have about ¼ cup. Soak salted radish in lukewarm water, 15 minutes; then drain and soak for another 5 minutes. Drain and roughly chop. Cut the Key lime into quarters. In a small bowl, combine tamarind water, palm sugar simple syrup, and fish sauce. (To make tamarind water from tamarind pulp: boil 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp; let cool for 30 minutes; strain.)
• Pad thai: Heat wok over medium-high heat and add oil. Crack the egg into a small bowl. When wok is smoking hot, add the egg and let it cook undisturbed. Immediately add shrimp, followed by tofu, dried shrimp, and salted radish. Use metal spatula to break up egg yolk and turn everything over to sear. Remove noodles from water, shake off excess water, and add to the wok. Toss vigorously, then add the sauce; stir-fry for 1 minute, allowing the sauce to soak into the noodles. Add the bean sprouts and most of the chopped garlic chives; stir to combine, 20 seconds.
• Serve: Transfer pad thai to a serving platter. Garnish with crushed peanuts, remaining chopped garlic chives, chile powder, and a pinch of sugar. Serve immediately, with Key lime wedges and 4 garlic chives on the side.

KHAO MAN SOM TAM

Steps:

• Make the Muu Waan at least a day ahead. Clean the excess fat and gristle from the pork butt and cut it into 1-inch thick pieces. Cut along the grain of meat so that long strands will form when the meat is shredded. Marinate the pork pieces in sweet soy. Marinate 2 hours.
• Put the pork in a rondeau, or another round straight-walled pan. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat, cover the pot and cook slowly until pork is almost tender.
• Turn the heat to high on the pork and reduce the liquid until relatively dry, leaving more of a glaze than a liquid. Roughly shred the pork with a stiff whisk and spatula. Do not wait until pork is already falling apart to reduce the liquid. This will produce a dry and tough product.
• If the pork is accidentally cooked all the way before reducing the liquid, remove the meat from liquid and reduce separately, then return the meat to the pot. Chill until ready to use.
• On day of service, in a rice cooker, combine the water, coconut milk or coconut cream, sugar, salt, and lime paste and mix until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the drained rice and mix thoroughly, making sure the rice is level in the cooker. Cook the rice according to the cooker instructions.
• When rice is done cooking, smash the chiles, garlic and palm sugar in a mortar and pestle until the garlic is well ground; do this firmly but not violently.
• Add the shrimp, mash lightly and then add the long beans. Smash them gently, just to break them up. Add the dressing and the papaya.
• Combine the ingredients thoroughly without mashing the papaya. Add the tomatoes and crush to release their juices. Stir in the peanuts and combine well.
• Taste should be sour, salty, sweet and spicy in good balance. The texture should be crunchy and slightly pink in color. Make no more than 2 servings at a time!
• When ready to serve, heat the Muu Waan Sweet Pork in microwave for 1 minute 15 seconds in shallow cambro or another microwavable dish. Put a scoop of rice from the rice cooker on a medium oval plate. Put 1/4 of the cabbage on 1 end of the oval and put the Papaya Pok Pok salad on top of the cabbage. Put Muu Waan Sweet Pork on top of the rice in a strip and garnish with shallots and cilantro. Repeat with remaining plates.

HET PAA NAAM TOK (ISAAN-STYLE FOREST MUSHROOM SALAD)

Steps:

• Prepare a grill, preferably charcoal, to cook with medium heat. Or preheat a grill pan or heavy skillet over medium heat.
• Toss the mushrooms in a bowl along with just enough oil to lightly coat them. Season generously with salt and pepper and toss again. Grill the mushrooms, turning them over occasionally, until they're cooked through and deep golden brown in spots, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of the mushrooms, transferring them as they're cooked to a cutting board. Cut any large mushrooms into bite-size slices, about 1/2 inch thick. Leave any small mushrooms whole. You should have about 1 cup of chopped, cooked mushrooms. Let them cool slightly as you make the dressing.
• Combine the lime juice, soy sauce, mushroom stock, sugar, chile powder, and lemongrass in a wok or medium pan, set it over medium heat, and heat the mixture just until it's warm to the touch, 15 seconds or so. Turn off the heat.
• Add the mushrooms to the pan along with the shallots, mint, cilantro, and rice powder, toss well, and transfer to a plate in a low heap so that most of the herbs end up near the top. Sprinkle on another pinch or two of rice powder, and serve.