Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

By Request

By Betty Shimabukuro

Wednesday, November 29, 2000

By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Tomatoes and red chiles add color to a salad of
green papaya. Lettuce or cabbage leaves are used
to scoop or wrap the salad.Fresh lime juice can
be added to taste.

---

Shred savory
Asian salads

For today's cooking lesson, get out the food processor, or prepare your knuckles for a workout on the grater.

Don Nuzzolo emails all the way from Kodiak, Alaska, for recipes for Korean and Thai salads made with fresh, shredded vegetables. He remembers them as among "the many bountiful pleasures of the islands," enjoyed during his years stationed here with the Coast Guard.

He didn't know their names, but through some question and answer we pinned down these old favorites to Muusaengchae, a Korean radish side dish, and Som Tam, or green papaya salad. Both are pungent traditional dishes that have grown familiar enough to move into the category of "local grinds."

Muusaengchae is made with Korean radish or daikon and is often served in Korean homes as a quick substitute for kim chee, although it has a sweet-sour flavor rather than the red-hot spice of kim chee.

Salads made with shredded green papaya are classic throughout Southeast Asia. Chef Keo Sananikone, in his cookbook, "Keo's Thai Cuisine," says Thai versions often are served with peanuts; Vietnamese with beef jerky and mint; Laotian with pickled freshwater crabs.

Recipes vary, sometimes calling for shredded longbeans, carrots or tomatoes for color. Basically, though, they include fish sauce, garlic, lime juice and chile peppers. Speaking of fish sauce, different brands vary by strength, so adjust accordingly.

The salad is served with lettuce or cabbage leaves, which are used as a scoop or a packet for the flavored papaya.

Also included here is another of Sananikone's recipes, for a shredded cucumber salad.

Korean Radish Salad

"Flavors of Korea," by Marc and
Kim Millon (Andre Deutsch Ltd., 1991)

1 Korean radish or small daikon, peeled
1 tablespoon salt
2 stalks green onion, shredded on diagonal
Dressing:
1 clove garlic, peeled, crushed, finely chopped
1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled, crushed, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon kochujang sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon rice or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Grate the radish into long, thin strips. Add salt, mix well. Let sit 10 minutes, then rinse, squeezing out the moisture.

Combine dressing ingredients and add to radish. Garnish with green onion. Chill well. Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 20 calories, 0.5 g total fat, no saturated, no cholesterol, 400 mg sodium, 1 g protein, 3 g carbohydrate.*

Green Papaya Salad

"Keo's Thai Cuisine, Revised," by
Keo Sananikone (Ten Speed Press, 1999)

1/2 pound green papaya
1 clove garlic
2-3 red chile peppers, seeded
1 tomato, sliced
1-2 tablespoons nam pla (fish sauce)
3 tablespoons lime juice
Lettuce leaves or cabbage squares
1 lime, in wedges
Whole red chiles, optional for garnish

Peel and seed papaya; shred. Grind together garlic and peppers in a food processor, or using a mortar.

Combine papaya, tomato, fish sauce and lime juice; add garlic mixture and toss lightly.

Serve with lettuce or cabbage and lime, garnish with chile peppers.

To eat, spoon a portion of salad onto a piece of lettuce or cabbage and form a packet. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 60 calories, 0.5 g total fat, no saturated, 5 mg cholesterol, 700 mg sodium, 4 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate.*

Cucumber Salad

"Keo's Thai Cuisine, Revised"

2 large cucumbers, seeded and shredded
2 red chile peppers, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 to 1 tablespoon nam pla (fish sauce) or anchovy paste
2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground dried shrimp

Combine all ingredients; toss lightly. Serve immediately so cucumbers don't marinate. Serves 4.

Note: Long string beans may be substituted for cucumber. Cut in 2-inch strips.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 40 calories, 0.5 g total fat, no saturated, 5 mg cholesterol, 350 mg sodium, 2.5 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate.*

Can you help? If you have tested recipes and can grant any of these requests, get in touch through one of the means listed below: Richard Bone is looking for a recipe for lemon ginger jelly. Heidi Ebner-Just wants to make ocean salad. T. Gruber is looking for a dish called Spanish Chicken, made with boneless chicken thighs in a tomato-based sauce, with green olives.

Food Stuffs: Morsels

Send queries along with name and phone number to:
By Request, Honolulu Star-Bulletin Food Section,
P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Or send e-mail to bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com

Asterisk (*) after nutritional analyses in the Body & Soul section indicates calculations by Joannie Dobbs of Exploring New Concepts, a nutritional consulting firm.