270 ml coconut milkIn a small saucepan, heat the coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar. (I put the chopped chilli in as well, I find I can control the spicyness better)
2 tbs fish sauce
juice of 1 lime
2 tbs palm sugar
4 shallots or red onion
4 kaffir lime leaves (if dry soak in boiling water), and chop finely
1 stalk lemon grass (I use 1 tbs of lemon grass from jar)
1 tsp chopped fresh ginger
1 large red chill (go easy here)
2 spring onion, finely sliced
10-12 mint leaves, torn
Lettuce (optional)
Stir until all the sugar has dissolved and remove from heat. (Adjust the flavours, it should be a balance of salty, tart, and sweet, and if you have added the chilli, spicy - to your taste).
In a large bowl make a salad of cooked and raw vegetables and add shallots or onion, chopped kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, ginger and chilli (if you didn't put it in the coconut milk) spring onions and mint leaves.
Pour some of the coconut dressing over the salad and garnish with coriander.
To make it into Chicken Thai Salad
Rub chicken breasts with garlic and soy sauce and 1 tbs of oil and leave to marinate for 1-2 hours. Grill or pan-fry for 3-4 minutes or until cooked. Set aside to cool, then slice into strips and serve with the salad.
I serve the salad with a good quality tinned tuna with some of the coconut dressing spooned over.
