Dish of Luang Prabang Salad
(click to enlarge)

Luang Prabang Salad


Laos   -   Yum Salat, Yum Salad
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 8 salad
**
1 hr
Part		 The popular Yum Salat is also called Luang Prabang Salad for where it originated, the seat of Lao kings and French governors. It's a French / Lao fusion recipe, and one of a very few completely vegetarian Laotian dishes.
"Yum Salat" translates literally as "Salad of Salad", but is interpreted as "Salad of Lettuce".

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4
10
6
1
1/2
4
15
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1/4
1
1/4
1/2
1
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ar
ar
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lrg
lrg
oz
c
c
oz

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c
T
c
t
T
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-- Salad
Eggs, hard cooked
Lettuce leaf (1)
Watercress
Cilantro Leaves
Mint Leaves
Cucumber (2)
Grape Tomatoes
-- Dressing
Lime Juice
Fish Sauce (3)
Shallot Oil (4)
Salt
Sugar (5)
-- Garnish
Fried Shallots (4)
Roasted Peanuts (6)
Prep:   -   (Do ahead by recipes)
  1. Make the Shallot Oil, Fried Shallots and Roasted Peanuts if using.
  2. Hard Cook EGGS. See our recipe Boiling Eggs for best method. Cool thoroughly.
Make   -   (45 min)
  1. Quarter Eggs and separate Yolks from Whites, reserving both. Slice the white quarters crosswise about 1/4 inch wide.
  2. Cut stiff stem ends from LETTUCE LEAVES and cut or tear into largish salad size pieces.
  3. Discard oversize stems from WATERCRESS and break up into salad size pieces.
  4. Separate leaves from stems of CILANTRO and MINT. Measure is lightly packed. Mix.
  5. Slice CUCUMBERS fairly thin.
  6. Cut GRAPE TOMATOES in half. If using larger Cherry Tomatoes, cut into quarters lengthwise.
  7. Mix all Salad Items and include the Egg Whites.
  8. Mash the Egg Yolks fine. Mix together all Dressing items. Place in a small jar so the dressing can be shaken vigorously before pouring it over salad.
  9. When ready to serve, shake the Dressing vigorously and pour over the Salad. Tumble well to coat.
  10. For serving you will have to treat this as a Composed Salad - because the Egg Whites, Cucumbers and Tomatoes immediately drop to the bottom of the mixing bowl and don't come back up. Fill serving bowls most of the way with greens, then shovel up some of the other ingredients and add on top. Use the Garnishes to decorate the top or they can be mixed in. See also Comments in the notes.
NOTES:

  1. Lettuce Leaves:

      These should be of a very crisp variety. Many recipes call for Iceberg Lettuce, which I used in the photo example, but I actually prefer to use Romaine.

  2. Cucumbers:

      If at all possible, use small cucumbers that don't need to be skinned or seeded, such as Persian, Japanese or European. If you have only the standard waxed green blimps, peel them and seed them, then measure out the given weight.

  3. Fish Sauce:

      This clear liquid is as essential to Southeast Asian cuisine as it was to Imperial Rome. If you are unfamiliar with it, see our Fish Sauce - Introduction page.

  4. Shallot Oil:

    Our recipe Fried Shallots / Shallot Oil makes both the Shallot garnish and the Oil called for in this recipe. Some recipes call for Garlic Oil, which is made the exact same way.

  5. Sugar:

      Asians tend to use too much sugar for Western tastes (and health). As usual, I've cut the amount of sugar in half, and find that is plenty. Adjust to your own taste.

  6. Peanuts, Dry Roasted

      These peanuts, widely used as a garnish in Southeast Asia and elsewhere, are quite different in flavor and texture from commercially roasted peanuts. See our recipe Dry Roasted Peanuts. This garnish may be omitted by preference or in response to allergies.

  7. Comments:

      If this salad is let stand for a while, the lettuce will wilt and the dressing will become more dilute. It is reported that this is the way it is most often served in Laos, and I read one comment that this was the way it was originally made and served in Laos - that serving it crisp is more "Frenchified". That person said his family made it in huge quantity, and on days it was served, the meal would consist only of the salad and rice.
  8. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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