People love to use the term "mind-blowing" when describing what they think is an especially outstanding dish. With very rare exception, it's almost always hyperbole. These one-bite Thai "flavor bomb" salad wraps, even my slightly simplified version, is that very rare exception. If you've never had this before, your mind will almost certainly be blown.
The first time I ordered miang kham in a Thai restaurant, I have to admit to being underwhelmed when it came to the table. I'm not sure what I was expecting after reading the fairly vague menu description, but what they set down was a plate with seven or eight green leaves, each featuring a small pile of minced ingredients with a small bowl of brown, thick, sticky sauce in the center. We were told to add a spoon to the top, wrap, and then, most importantly, eat it all in one bite.
We did, and a few seconds later, the mind blowing began. Unless you actually try these yourself, I'm not going to be able to adequately describe the experience. I'll just say I couldn't believe what was happening in my mouth. Yes, the flavors were "exploding," but there was so much more going on than that. I'll never forget that moment, which is why I really do I hope you to give these a try soon. Enjoy!
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Ingredients
For the Sauce:
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⅓ cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut
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2 tablespoons finely chopped roasted peanuts
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2 tablespoons minced shallot
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1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
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1 small lime, zested and juiced
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½ cup packed dark brown sugar
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2 tablespoons fish sauce
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⅔ cup water
For the Leaf Wraps:
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1 cup cubed cooked chicken
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32 leaves fresh spinach
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½ cup toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
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⅓ cup roasted peanuts
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32 leaves Thai basil
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8 slices lime, quartered
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¼ cup finely chopped Thai chile peppers
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⅓ cup diced shallot
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⅓ cup diced fresh ginger
Directions
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Combine coconut, peanuts, shallot, ginger, lime zest and juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, and water in a small saucepan, swirl to mix, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reduces by about half and starts to thicken up.
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Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature before using. Sauce will get thicker once cooled. If sauce is too thick, thin out with a little bit of water. If it's too runny, simply put it back on the heat and reduce it a little more.
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To make the wraps, place a heaping teaspoon of chicken in a spinach leaf, top with a big pinch of toasted coconut, a few peanuts, a Thai basil leaf, one piece of lime, one piece of Thai chili, one or two pieces of shallots, and one or two cubes of ginger.
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Top with 1 teaspoon of the sauce and wrap everything into one neat bite. These must be eaten in a single bite to get all the flavors working properly together.
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Chef's Notes
You can use red onion if you don't have shallots, although it won't be as authentic.
Use lemongrass instead of lime and palm sugar instead of brown if you can find it.
I prefer grilled chicken that's been marinated in classic Southeast Asian ingredients, but really, any kind of cooked chicken will do. You can use dried shrimp instead, if you like.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 225 | Calories |
| 12g | Fat |
| 24g | Carbs |
| 9g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 8 | |
| Calories 225 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 12g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat 7g | 33% |
| Cholesterol 13mg | 4% |
| Sodium 327mg | 14% |
| Total Carbohydrate 24g | 9% |
| Dietary Fiber 4g | 14% |
| Total Sugars 16g | |
| Protein 9g | 19% |
| Vitamin C 29mg | 32% |
| Calcium 76mg | 6% |
| Iron 2mg | 12% |
| Potassium 477mg | 10% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
