Chicken Salad with Vietnamese Seasonings

Name: Chicken Salad with Vietnamese Seasonings
Yield: makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon nam pla; 1 teaspoon cracked or coarsely ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 small fresh chile, preferably Thai, minced, or 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste; 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice; 1 teaspoon minced garlic; 2 medium to large shallots, chopped; 2 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken; 1/2 cup chopped rau ram or 1/4 cup each mint and cilantro leaves; Salt to taste; 12 or 16 leaves Boston, red leaf, or green leaf lettuce

December 14, 2011

The ideal herb for seasoning this salad is rau ram, which is not impossible to find if a well-stocked Asian store or supermarket is in your area; you can pick up your Thai fish sauce (page 500) while you’re there. The best alternative is a combination of cilantro and mint, which comes pretty close. If you don’t have precooked chicken, just simmer chicken breasts (bone-in are best) in water to cover for 10 to 15 minutes. When the meat is done, pull it from the bone (continue cooking the bones, perhaps with a few vegetables like carrots and onions, to make stock) and chop or shred.

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